Parents and teachers have been asked to give breastfeeding and pregnant students the support they need so that they can balance between learning and bringing up their children.
Othaya MP Gichuki Mugambi and Nyeri South deputy county commissioner Michael Tallam on Thursday said parents should also ensure their the pregnant daughters attend antenatal clinics even as they continue with learning.
Tallam said teachers should organise so that breastfeeding learners are given breaks to breastfeed their infants.
Mugambi said attending clinics will ensure that the young mothers and their foetus remain healthy during pregnancy.
The MP said the learners must be supporters to continue with their education so that they can realise their dreams.
The lawmaker said no child in his constituency should miss school because they fell pregnant, gave birth or cannot afford fees.
“They should be given every support they need including moral support so that they can continue with their education,” Mugambi said.
“Ensure they start and visit antenatal clinics and when they give birth, please assist them and ensure they go back to school," he told parents.
The lawmaker cautioned parents and the public against treating the students as outcasts saying they still have a chance to continue with studies and realise their dreams.
Tallam advised parents to take the students to the nearby day schools to enable them take care of their children as they continue with their education.
The administrator said teachers should be allowing the young mothers to be rushing home during tea and lunch breaks so that they can breastfeed the infants.
“Parents, let us take these young mothers to nearby day schools. For teachers, you should be giving them a chance to rush home during tea and lunch breaks so that they can breastfeed the infants and then go back to class,” Tallam said.
The administrator said the young mothers should not be stigamatised, saying they are human beings and not angels. He said they is no reason why learners should not report back to school just because they fell pregnant or gave birth.
"A child having fallen pregnant is not the end of life," he said.
Tallam asked teachers and parents to encourage such children to work hard.
He gave chiefs and their assistants until Wednesday this week to compile a list of all learners who have not reported back to school.
He warned of disciplinary actions against any teacher who will refuse to admit a child because she is pregnant or has given birth.
The two spoke to parents when they disbursed NG-CDF bursary cheques worth Sh30 million to 3,724 needy learners in all the four wards in Othaya constituency on Thursday. The MP issued cheques to learners fro three consecutive days from Wednesday last week.
Head teachers were asked to report cases of pregnancy among students so they can be given the necessary support.
Edited by P.O
