Authorities at St Mary's Girls Senior High School at Konongo in the Asante Akyem Central Municipality of the Ashanti Region, have stated that high rate of teenage pregnancy among students in the school is thwarting the future of girls at the facility.

According to them, the situation has become a major developmental problem and called on all stakeholders to help address it, so as to create a brighter future for the youth.

Speaking Otec FM news reporter, Simon Opoku Afriyie, the headmistress of the school, Alice Martha Adjei revealed that the recent report indicates that, about a total of 15 students are pregnant with 4 final year students, 10 form 2 students and 1 newly admitted students confirmed pregnant for the 2023 academic year with pregnancy.

She revealed that, four out of the total number were final year students with the rest being continuing students.

She expressed deep concern over the increasing rate of teenage pregnancy in school and urged parents and guardians to compliment the effort of the schools to halt the problem.

"It was unacceptable that children at such tender age were getting pregnant and cutting short their academic journey, they miss out on economic opportunities, a situation which caused an increase in the vicious circle of poverty and illiteracy, among others", she said.

Infrastructure challenge

The headmistress however attributed the problem to infrastructural challenges facing the school.

She stated that, "The school since its inception has been confronted with major infrastructural deficit which i believe have contributed to the various problems facing the students including this menace of teenage pregnancy"

"Fencing of the school has been a major setback given room for the students to go out anytime they want without proper supervision from teachers or parents".

"The situation allow the students to do what they want leading many into the problem of teenage pregnancy ".

She added that, encroachment of school Lands among other problems are affecting development of the school and appealed for support to fence the school to prevent using the premises as route .