Eight-month-old pregnant girl defies odds, prepares for BECE

A-15-year-old pregnant girl at the Kwadwo-Addaekrom D/A Primary and Junior High School in the Asutifi North District of the newly created Ahafo Region has defied all odds, and bent to attain formal education.

Patricia Bangia, a form three student said she has registered and was preparing seriously to write this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) scheduled for June 10, though she experienced strange feelings in her body due to her eight-month pregnancy.

She told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview at Kwadwo-Addaekrom, a cocoa growing community that her pregnancy was eight months and she was expected to deliver in June 18, but nothing could hinder her from writing the examination.

Miss Bangia said though the school environment was unfriendly to her, she took inspiration from the First Lady Rebecca Akufo-Addo and decided to continue with her education when she watched her on the television.

She said it was her hope and aspiration to become a nurse in future, and she was determined to achieve that though the stigma attached to her was very high among her school mates and people in the community.

Miss Bangia said because of the stigma and unfriendly condition at the school, other two final year girls got pregnant, but left the school.

She said she appreciated encouragement from her parents and support from the teachers, which had motivated her to learn hard for the examination.