South Africa is taking a significant step toward safeguarding the constitutional right to education with the introduction of proposed regulations for pregnant learners.
The aim is to support pregnant learners and ensure their continued education.
The proposed regulations are designed to protect vulnerable girl children by allowing them to continue their education during pregnancy and return to school after childbirth without fear of expulsion or exclusion.
According to Basic Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube, the progress made recently is a shift away from past practices that excluded pregnant learners from the education system.
“We have moved away from a painful past where young girls were expelled or forced out of school due to pregnancy,” she said.
She further said the isolation contributed to the dropout rate.
“These practices contributed to alarmingly high dropout rates. These regulations build on that progress and reaffirm our commitment to dignity, inclusion, and equal opportunity,” Gwarube added.
Non-discriminatory environment
In addition, schools will be required to create a non-discriminatory and supportive environment for pregnant learners.
This includes working closely with the Department of Health and the Department of Social Development to provide access to essential ante-natal, post-natal, and psychosocial support services.
A key feature of the draft regulations is the introduction of a mandatory reporting requirement.
Statistics reveal that in early 2025, South Africa reported a slight decline in New Year’s Day teen births (over 80, down from 190 in 2024), but the overall 2024/25 period showed 117,195 live births to girls aged 10–19 in public facilities.
While a 16% decline from 2020/2021 is noted, over 2,300 births occurred to girls aged 10–14, highlighting a persistent crisis.
“In cases where a learner under the age of 16 falls pregnant, schools will be required to report the matter to both the Department of Social Development and the South African Police Service.
“The move is intended to strengthen child protection measures while ensuring that affected learners receive the necessary support and intervention,” said Gwarube.
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- South Africa has proposed new regulations to protect pregnant learners' rights, ensuring they can continue education during and after pregnancy without fear of expulsion.
- The initiative aims to create a non-discriminatory, supportive school environment with collaboration from health and social development departments for ante-natal, post-natal, and psychosocial support.
- Education Minister Siviwe Gwarube emphasized the shift away from past exclusionary practices, linking previous isolation of pregnant learners to high dropout rates.
- The draft regulations include mandatory reporting of pregnancies in learners under 16 to social development and police to enhance child protection and support.
- Despite a 16% decline in teen births, South Africa faces a persistent crisis with over 2,300 births to girls aged 10–14 in public health facilities during 2024/25.
