Counseling programme for young mothers in schools rolled out

Nyandarua Women Representative Faith Gitau is set to roll out a counseling programme for all young mothers in primary and secondary schools across the county.

While noting the need to have the girls morally supported, Gitau said re-entry of teenage mothers back to school demands attention to ensure they excel in their academic performance.

She regretted that some of the girls in school may suffer stigmatization, ridicule and abuse from other learners hence the need for counseling.

“Our daughters who got pregnant during the Covid-19 break deserve to have counseling session that will help them cope with their status. My office is set to conduct counseling sessions across the county so that we can help them accept themselves and excel in their education,” said the MP.

Gitau added that interactions among different individuals within the academic, social systems and the communities hosting the girls might make them adopt different characteristics or withdraw from institutions of learning before completion of their studies.

The MP who was speaking Thursday, while issuing bursary funds to vulnerable children in the county added that the programme will also seek to have parents of the young mothers counseled so as to offer a conducive environment for them while at home.

Last year, Nyandarua county witnessed runaway pregnancies with over 800 school girls having fallen victims to the vice after schools were closed for long due to the outbreak of Covid-19.

While decrying a high number of young mothers in the area, Nyandarua North sub county Kenya Secondary Schools Head Teachers Association chair John Njoroge noted that there were no well laid strategies in place to help teenage mothers cope and resume learning after delivery.

Njoroge said counseling those who are still pregnant and those who have already delivered will help in relieving them the physiological pressure.

At the same time, he called on the ministry of education to support the initiative by incorporating it in the school curriculum.

Meanwhile, students who benefited from the bursary allocation said it would help in relieving pressure from their parent and guardians and also keep them in school.