Question & Answer with Dr. Merisa Grant
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Dr. Merisa Grant with her son
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Dr. Merisa Grant is a recent graduate of General Medicine and is employed in the Accident and Emergency Department at the JNF General Hospital in St Kitts.
Dr. Merisa Grant is a shining example of a teenage mother that was allowed to return to school.
Ron Daniel sat down with this strong Kittitian female doctor to discuss how difficult it was for her as a mother and student, what her message would be to females in similar positions and what bit of advice would she give to policy makers in this country with regards to the issue of teen mothers returning to school.
Q: - What were your first thoughts when you found out you were pregnant as a teenager?
A:-Mostly denial…for a very long time I remained quite naïve and hoped that it would all go away.
Q: - I am told that you were actually in Antigua and decided to return to St Kitts to complete your schooling. How true is this and what was the rationale behind this?
A:-.Well the decision was actually that of my parents… and it was a decision that they made to accommodate my completion of secondary education within a formal school setting.
Q: - How long were you out of school before you returned? Was this adequate time for you?
A:- I was out of school for a total of six months and returned to the class room within three weeks of having delivered. I actually felt quite eager to return to school so I would say I had ample time.
Q: - How was the attitude of your classmates upon your return to school? ~~Adz:Right~~
A:-. To be quite honest I knew very few people since I had previously attended high school in Antigua, but I made it no secret of being a mother and my peers were all very supportive and fascinated. I think that people see you as what you see yourself as. So being the friendly outgoing person that I am and the very disciplined student I think there were many boundaries and stigmas that were broken when they met me. I successfully represented my school in a number of debates, the national effective speech competition, I was president of the prom committee and became a prefect at school. Perhaps everything other than what you would expect a teenage mother to be.
Q:- What would you suggest is a good time frame for teen mothers to be out of school before they resume their education?
A:-. I think once the pregnancy has ended and there is a safe recovery returning should be speedy
Q:-At the 2007 LIDC the moot debated was, “It is reprehensible for teen mothers to de denied access to mainstream education.” The opposition’s argument was that they should not be denied education altogether but that they should be educated in alternative institutions or using private means. What is your view on that?
A:- There are many things that alternative institutions cannot provide. Some people treat teenage pregnancy as a sickness. Much of what I was able to achieve was because despite the fact that the timing was not the best, I certainly knew that there was nothing wrong with me. I was still just a person… a teenager who still needed to grow, still needed that very important interaction with my peers, to become the healthy adult that I am today. Furthermore my mission and focus had now become more clairvoyant. I knew and understood, perhaps more than most at that time, the importance of my returning to school and amongst my peers.
At the same time my having returned did not jeopardize the education of the others. No one touched me and became pregnant. No one saw me and felt that it was ok to go and get pregnant… I think it became all the more obvious to them that we are all just individuals and don’t necessarily take the same routes to our destination.
Q: - One of the arguments that the people who oppose teen mothers returning to school advance is that a teen mother’s return would send the wrong signal to other teens and would set a bad precedent for other teenagers to follow. What are your views on this?
A:- It is quite ridiculous that with all the grave ills of society to think that the singling out and deprivation of continued education of an individual could be the solution or help in setting good precedent for other teenagers. Furthermore it is hypocritical and sexually biased since teen fathers are allowed to continue their education, without any interruptions whatsoever. Hence I think society needs to re-examine the message that is in fact being sent. Moreover I think its time that greater focus be placed on the sexual education of teens with the view of curbing the high incidence of sexual activities amongst teens rather than on the number of teens who become pregnant. The greater problem is being ignored. There are greater ills attributed to being sexually active other than pregnancy, Such as HIV and AIDS. I think its time for the society at large to refocus on the bigger picture.
Q:- How difficult was it for you as a mother and a student?
~~Adz:Left~~ A:-.I had much needed help and was comfortably able to balance both. I know that my parents were often criticized for their active roles in helping me take care of my son. There were people who said that my mother by helping me the way she did and loving her grandson the way she did would encourage me to get pregnant again. ANOTHER MISCONCEPTION. Furthermore let me say that my parents not only assisted me in the care of my son but encouraged me in school. My mother spent many nights helping me in my research for debates and school assignments.
Q:-You would have come a long way to now become a medical doctor. Could you briefly describe the thoughts that went through your mind when you graduated especially in the context of your being a teen mother?
A: To be quite honest I have never considered my being a teen mother a handicap…so to graduate in medicine for me was like any other person who would have graduated from university.
Q: - What message would you have for teen mothers today? Would you advise them to return to school and if so what advice would you have for them if they choose to do so?
A:-Definitely return to school, hold yourself to a high standard and know that you are no less of a person. Think of the big picture and plan for the future.
Q:-What bit of advice would you give to policy makers in our Federation regarding the issue of teen mothers returning to school?
A:- When you educate a man you educate an individual…… when you educate a woman you educate a nation.
