There is an ongoing campaign by civil society organizations  involved in the fight against HIV/Aids to make condoms  available in schools as a measure of preventing new infections among school going adolescents.

Recently the deputy director general of Rwanda Biomedical Centre added her voice to those advocating for the availing of condoms among students, rejecting suggestions that such an initiative would promote promiscuity among students.

The imperative to avail condoms to sexually active individuals cannot be overemphasized. Whereas it is important to encourage students to abstain from sex at an early age, it is important that the actual reality be taken into consideration.

The fact that 614 girls dropped out of school as a result of pregnancy, indicates that some students are sexually active. Therefore, it is important that practical interventions are implemented, to not only protect students from Sexually Transmitted Diseases, but also to keep them in school.

More importantly, focus on adolescents in the fight against HIV/Aids, should be a concern for all. Parents, teachers and society at large have to play a part in curbing HIV infections among adolescents. It should be borne in mind that students, especially girls, can be easily susceptible to cross generational sex.  Therefore, measures aimed at protecting them ought to be implemented vigorously.

Information and mass sensitization are proven ways that have helped contain HIV.  Schools, therefore, have an obligation to carry out sex education and also implement curriculum that has HIV/Aids as an integral part.

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