Schools in Sierra Leone opened in mid-April 2015, eight months after they were closed to stop the Ebola virus from spreading. But even though schools are open again, nothing is the same. Reminders of Ebola’s destruction are everywhere, and a new type of vigilance permeates daily life. School staff use thermometers to check for high temperatures. Buckets of chlorinated water are placed strategically in schools, with an encouragement to wash hands and wash often. And only a small number of students have actually come back to class. Some are working to support their families. Others are taking care of younger siblings. Sadly, some are deceased. But there is one population that is disproportionately missing: girls, especially pregnant girls.
The Ministry of Education in Sierra Leone has banned girls who are “visibly” pregnant from taking the standardized exams that are needed to graduate, justifying this decision by saying that pregnant girls “always fail” these exams. These girls are also not allowed to attend class, as officials believe it may have a negative influence on other girls.
Of course, teenage pregnancy is not a new phenomenon in Sierra Leone, and the ban on pregnant girls has been in place since 2010. In fact, in 2009, districts in Northern Sierra Leone automatically dismissed any girl who was pregnant; they also would dismiss the boy who impregnated her, if identified.
