Numerous negative comments have trailed the announcement by Tanzanian President, John Magfuli, restricting teenage girls who got pregnant from returning back to school. The president's views are based on the argument that letting teenage mothers return to classes will have a negative influence on other young girls.
A Tanzanian teenage mother named Jackie Leonard Lomboma spoke with BBC to express her distaste for the president's views. Jackie, who became pregnant at 15, is unimpressed with the ban and described the president's action as disappointing.
In her words
""It is a big disappointment to hear the president say that girls who get pregnant should not be allowed back to school.
"I am very disappointed because Tanzania is one of the poorest countries in the world and in order for us to overcome this we need to empower underprivileged groups like teenage mothers with education.
"The biggest problem is that we are focusing on students that are in the school system, and not on the many who have already dropped out.
"We have ignored this group who need help the most and acting like this not a crisis - we are wrong.
"I was empowered through education, that is why today I am supporting other girls to stand up again."
Jackie currently runs a centre for teenage mothers in Morogoro, Tanzania.
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