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Magufuli ban on pregnant schoolgirls angers Tanzanians John Magufuli's pregnant schoolgirl ban angers Tanzanian women
(about 4 hours later)
Many Tanzanians have condemned President John Magufuli's comments that schoolgirls who give birth should not be allowed to return to school. Tanzania's President John Magufuli has been condemned for comments that girls who give birth should not be allowed to return to school.
An online petition has been set up to get the president to reverse his comments. An online petition has been set up and a pan-African women's organisation is mobilising to get the president to apologise and reverse his comments.
Mr Magufuli warned schoolgirls at a rally on Monday that: "After getting pregnant, you are done."Mr Magufuli warned schoolgirls at a rally on Monday that: "After getting pregnant, you are done."
A law passed in 2002 allows for expulsion of pregnant schoolgirls. A law passed in 2002 allows for the expulsion of pregnant schoolgirls.
The law says the girls can be expelled and excluded from school for "offences against morality" and "wedlock".The law says the girls can be expelled and excluded from school for "offences against morality" and "wedlock".
Women's rights groups have recently been urging the government to change the law.
Mr Magufuli, who was speaking at a public rally in Chalinze town, about 100km west of the main city Dar es Salaam, said that young mothers would be distracted if they were allowed back in school:Mr Magufuli, who was speaking at a public rally in Chalinze town, about 100km west of the main city Dar es Salaam, said that young mothers would be distracted if they were allowed back in school:
"After calculating some few mathematics, she'd be asking the teacher in the classroom: 'Let me go out and breastfeed my crying baby.'""After calculating some few mathematics, she'd be asking the teacher in the classroom: 'Let me go out and breastfeed my crying baby.'"
He said that men who impregnate the schoolgirls should be imprisoned for 30 years and "put the energy they used to impregnate the girl into farming while in jail".He said that men who impregnate the schoolgirls should be imprisoned for 30 years and "put the energy they used to impregnate the girl into farming while in jail".
The president also criticised rights organisations who have been pushing the government to reverse the expulsion law: The president also criticised rights organisations who have been pushing the government to reverse the law:
"These NGOs should go out and open schools for parents. But they should not force the government [to take back the pupils]."These NGOs should go out and open schools for parents. But they should not force the government [to take back the pupils].
"I'm giving out free education for students who have really decided to go and study, and now you want me to educate the parents?""I'm giving out free education for students who have really decided to go and study, and now you want me to educate the parents?"
The BBC's Sammy Awami in Tanzania reports that the crowd at the rally applauded the president's comments.The BBC's Sammy Awami in Tanzania reports that the crowd at the rally applauded the president's comments.
At least 8,000 Tanzanian girls drop out of school every year due to pregnancy, according to a Human Rights Watch report.At least 8,000 Tanzanian girls drop out of school every year due to pregnancy, according to a Human Rights Watch report.
'Immoral' 'Betrayal'
The online petition says that the president's support for the expulsion law would end the education of many girls and "propagate more discrimination".The online petition says that the president's support for the expulsion law would end the education of many girls and "propagate more discrimination".
It instead calls for the girls to be protected from early pregnancies while in school.It instead calls for the girls to be protected from early pregnancies while in school.
Tanzanians are also using the hashtag #ArudiShule (let her return) on Twitter to criticise the president's comments and to highlight the plight of young women who get pregnant while in school. The African Women's Development and Communication Network, Femnet has also expressed its outrage.
Two weeks ago, Tanzania's Vice-President Samia Suluhu called for young mothers to be readmitted school, saying they should not be denied a right to education. "With all the work we have done to emancipate Africa's girl-child from the shackles of discrimination and violation, a sitting president turns around to "re-victimze" and treat their situation like a terrible infectious disease which other girls must be protected from," said its head Dinah Musindarwezo.
Koitamet Olekina, executive director of the Maasai Education Discovery, a non-profit organisation that rescues girls from early marriages in Kenya, condemned Mr Magufuli's comments: Lawyer Kavinya Makau called Mr Magafuli's sentiments a" betrayal of the highest order."
"If Magufuli is standing on the pedestal of morality, then in my opinion, it would be more immoral to deny the Tanzanian girl child an opportunity to rise from a fall and be a better person than to relegate them to almost second-citizenship status for reasons sometimes out of their control." Two weeks ago, Tanzania's Vice-President Samia Suluhu called for young mothers to be readmitted to school, saying they should not be denied a right to education.