Sexual reproduction education was always a key lesson for adolescents in schools. Some of the young learners would give embarrassed giggles when the organs were mentioned, because to most, it was forbidden territory. In most African families, any mention of sex is taboo so sex education was left in the form of street rumours, illicit publications or social media. There is no first line of defence; knowledge, that is robust protection. Today, many parents are regretting. That is exactly what the Government intends to avoid when it throws the contraceptive debate wide open. It is an open secret that children today, especially girls, are sexually active at an early age, at a stage where they are most gullible, vulnerable and easily manipulated. So when the Government suggests making contraceptives available to children as young as 15, the protesting voices sound like they are from another planet. Yet, statistics don’t lie; between 2017 and 2018, under-18 pregnancies increased by about 14 per cent, from 17,337 to 19,832. What does that tell our policymakers? The issue will soon turn into a rollercoaster which is better to prevent it than to contain. To hear a lawmaker say that she dreads the idea of a 14-year-old having access to contraceptives, what would she think if the same 14-year-old got pregnant or contracted an incurable sexually transmitted disease? Emotions should be put aside when dealing with social issues that have deep repercussions. Yes, sexual education should be prioritised both at school and at home, but in the meantime, the child must be protected from the cruel world outside there teeming with sexual predators and paedophiles.
