The following are answers to questions from the Cape Argus on the issue of learner pregnancy in the Western Cape.

1. The Daily Voice today reported that a learner (15) from Scottsdene, gave birth at school last week. Is there a specific stage during the pregnancy that a learner is advised/required to take maternity leave?

The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) has a policy on the Management of Pregnant Learners in Public Schools. The policy provides guidelines on how to support a pregnant learner and when the learner should take leave of absence to give birth. The policy requires a medical certificate stating the possible date of delivery. The policy is designed to ensure that pregnant learners complete their schooling.

2. Have schools/teachers raised concern or have you received any complaints about learners giving birth at school considering that there are no medical staff to handle the delivery of babies at schools?

We are not aware of any complaints. There should be no reason for concern if schools follow the department's guidelines.

3. According to the (national) Measures for Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy, the learner and the father (if a learner) may request or be required to take a leave of absence of absence from the school, including sufficient time to address both pre- and post-natal concerns, as well as the initial caring for the child. Do you know if any boys have requested or were required to take an absence of leave since the measures were introduced? If so, do you know how many?

These statistics are not immediately available.

4. Do you have any statistics available on how many female learners have taken maternity leave over the past year?

About 2 160 female learners were pregnant in the Western Cape in 2008. This represents about 1.2% of 173 980 female learners in Grades 8 to 12. We do not have statistics immediately available on the number who took leave of absence.

5. Do you have any programmes in place to promote abstinence and educate learners on pregnancy etc?

The WCED deals with this issue in a number of ways. These include, for example, dealing with sex and sexuality at appropriate levels in the Life Orientation curriculum.

Our HIV/AIDS programme deals directly with the issue of risky sexual behaviour and is showing signs of success. For example, the programme has contributed to reducing the infection rate by 50.7% over the past four years.

The department's Safe Schools Call Centre (0800-45-46-47) provides advice and counselling on pregnancy.

6. How long after giving birth may a learner return to school and are there programmes in place to help them catch up with their work?

A learner may return as soon as she feels ready to, and if arrangements are in place for caring for her baby. The WCED's policy requires a medical certificate stating that the learner is well enough to return. We recommend that the learner and her parents discuss the best time to return with the school concerned.