Why Is The School’s Principal Blaming The Former Education Minister In The CDC Gov’t?
By Alfred Kollie alfredkolliejr92@gmail.com
BOPOLU, Liberia – The Principal of Bopolu Central High School, Mr. Zayzay Y. Mulbah has revealed that teenage pregnancy is on the increase at this school and he is blaming the immediate past administration of the Education Ministry for the situation.
Mr. Mulbah’s revelation comes hard on the heels of an incident in which a student of the school almost gave birth during the administering of recent exams, disclosing that a total number of over ten students who are currently pregnant in the current academic year.
Principal Zayzay Y. Mulbah
According to the Bopolu Public School Principal, Mr. Mulbah during one of former Education Minister Sonii’s visits to the school, he advised students most especially pregnant students, to continue attending classes and urged school authorities not to expel them.
This statement, Mr. Mulbah claims, has encouraged students to engage in unprotected sexual activities, causing a hindrance to their academic journey.
The principal is now calling on the government, through the Ministry of Education, to take immediate action to address the situation.
Mr. Mulbah further emphasized that as a direct result of former Minister Sonii’s statement, Bopolu Central High School has witnessed a significant increase in pregnancies, with over ten recorded cases, including three teenage pregnancies from the elementary division.
This alarming statistic marks the highest number of pregnancies since the establishment of the school.
Discussing the school’s current enrollment rates, Mr. Mulbah highlighted that this year, there are 187 female students and 189 male students.
He attributed the high number of female enrollments to a support program initiated by former Vice President Jewel Howard Taylor through the Jewel StarFish Foundation and the World Bank, which aims to empower and encourage the education of young girls.
In an interview with our reporter, Mr. Mulbah pleaded with the government, partners, and parents to actively discourage teenage pregnancy among students and prioritize their education.
The Bopolu Central High School Principal emphasized the need for strong policies and awareness campaigns that will deter students from getting pregnant while pursuing their studies.
The accusations against former Education Minister Sonii might sparked a debate on the role of educational leaders in addressing reproductive health issues and protecting the academic pursuits of students.
It remains to be seen how former officials of the Ministry of Education will respond to these allegations and what steps will be taken to prevent further cases of teenage pregnancy in Liberian Public schools.
Meanwhile, Principal Mulbah is appealing to the government through the Ministry of Education to pay teachers based on their qualifications.
He believes that a fair and well-compensated teaching staff will contribute to a more effective education system that can address issues such as teenage pregnancy.