132 teen mothers reintegrated into school

A total of 132 adolescent mothers were reintegrated into the formal school system during the 2023-2024 academic year, says the National Parenting Support Commission.

Chief Executive Officer Kaysia Kerr, provided the statistics during the inaugural Women’s Centre of Jamaica Foundation’s Empowered Futures Parenting Symposium held on Friday at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

She said that some 152 pregnancies were recorded over the period.

Kerr, who represented Education Minister Dr Dana Morris Dixon, indicated that the girls either returned to the institutions they attended before pregnancy or were enrolled in a new school.

She noted that although many of the girls had originally earned a place in school, the response of “no space available” has been used by some institutions to exclude them from post-pregnancy reintegration.

The 1980 education regulations are the basis for ministerial discretion to facilitate the re-entry of girls to educational institutions.

The ministry's National Policy on the Reintegration of School-age Mothers establishes a framework for inter-agency collaboration to address the wider issues that limit their reintegration into the formal school system.

Kerr underscored that reintegration in today’s world means more than just getting back into the classroom.

“It must include embracing all the training and skills development opportunities available to enable you to function effectively as parents and as individuals,” she told the adolescent mothers in attendance.

She reminded them that education is the gateway to empowerment and they must embrace the opportunities.

“It is the key that unlocks not only opportunity, but also dignity. Whether in the classroom, the home, or the community, education enables transformation. In addition, when a mother is educated and empowered, she changes not only her life, but the lives of her children, her household and ultimately, her community,” she pointed out.

Kerr told the adolescent mothers that they are a powerful reminder of the resilience, hope and potential that exist within Jamaica’s youth.

“You are part of a sisterhood of second chances and that is a beautiful, powerful thing,” she said, commending the symposium’s focus on not just their past, but more importantly, their future.

Data from the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information’s seven regions:

Region 1 (Kingston and St Andrew) – 63 of 68 adolescent mothers were reintegrated; Region 2 (St Thomas, Portland and St Mary) – 22 of 22 were reintegrated

Region 3 (St Ann and Trelawny) – 5 of 5 were reintegrated; Region 4 (St James, Hanover and Westmoreland) – 9 of 9 were reintegrated

Region 5 (Manchester and St. Elizabeth) – 8 of 23 were reintegrated; Region 6 (St Catherine) – 10 of 10 were reintegrated

Region 7 (Clarendon) – 15 of 15 were reintegrated.

- JIS News

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