Feminist organisation wants govt to ban schools’ mandatory pregnancy tests
By Zipporah Ngwatu, October 3, 2025A feminist homegrown organisation, Zamara Foundation (ZamaraFdn), wants the government to immediately enforce a ban on mandatory pregnancy testing in all schools.
According to Zamara, the school policies should be reviewed to strike out the discriminatory practices, such as mandatory pregnancy tests carried out in learning institutions that strip the young mothers of their dignity, privacy and educational rights.
“The government should immediately ban mandatory pregnancy testing in all learning institutions and ensure adherence to national and regional human rights standards, including the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child,” ZamaraFdn stated on Friday, October 3, 2025.
Notably, the organisation is urging the government through the Ministry of Education to develop and implement structured learning recovery programmes for adolescent mothers who give birth before completing their studies.
Recommendations
Further, ZamaraFdn recommends that the government should have a plan and fund remedial programmes, catch-up classes and flexible learning options to compensate for the lost time of the young mothers who step out of school to give birth.
“Kenya should support young mothers’ academic success and prevent further educational disadvantages. Regional and international development partners should support these programmes through financial and technical assistance,” the organisation states.
In addition, the feminist organisation also urges the Ministry of Education to establish and enforce clear national standards for school-based guidance and counselling services for pregnant students and those who give birth while still in school.
They are also praying for the inclusion of the Ministry of Gender and social protection agencies to collaborate with the Ministry of Education to provide additional psychosocial support for the adolescent mothers, their families and the carers.
According to the organisation, despite there being existing laws, the dropout rates due to unintended pregnancies, expulsions, and stigma of the young pregnant learners are still very high.
Zamara notes that there is a critical need to scale up primary data collection to provide concrete evidence of the gaps identified in legal and policy analysis.
“The Ministry should invest in nationwide research to capture real numbers and lived experiences, strengthening advocacy, informing policy improvements and driving targeted interventions,” Zamara states.
The organisation asserts that strengthening enforcement mechanisms, enhancing awareness and ensuring coordinated efforts across education, health and social sectors are crucial in translating legal commitments into meaningful change for the adolescent mothers.