ACDP welcomes Constitutional Court judgement about pregnant learners

Athenkosi Mvane
12 July 2013

The African Christian Democratic Party has welcomed the Constitutional Court judgment handed down on Wednesday regarding the powers of a Head of a Provincial Department of Education, to instruct a principal of a public school to act in contravention of a learner pregnancy policy. 

However the Concourt acknowledged that the school’s pregnancy policies at face value infringe upon the constitutional rights of pregnant learners. 

ACDP’s MP Cheryllyn Dudley said it is important that School Governing Bodies have the assurance that school policy will be respected by the Department, and that due process be followed when policy is queried.

“Society, as we know it, has opted for inclusive rather than exclusive policies.

“Our children and educators have had to come to terms with reality such as pregnant learners” Dudley added.

Dudley also said that, as much as it is not an ideal situation; excluding these learners from school would not help create a better reality for them.