Teenage pregnancies are out of hand

Schools are not intentionally promoting immorality when they suggest that condoms be availed within their premises. They are so desperate to avoid catastrophes like teenage pregnancies and Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) that they are forced to supply condoms to adolescent kids. Whereas this has received mixed reviews, one can only assume that it is for the best and that the outcome will be positive. Raising a girl is not easy because parents do not wish for their daughters to get pregnant. Sure, there is a boy involved but in most cases, boys deny responsibility and who can blame them anyway? They are only kids. If grown men can dodge responsibility then we should not expect too much from young school going boys. Therefore, this leaves the school girl with the burden of giving birth and raising her child, on her shoulder. She carries the shame of having a child out of wedlock with no father in sight. Even if the boy is noble and claimes accountability, the bun is in the girl’s oven, living proof for the whole of society to judge her everyday she walks the streets! Even worse, pregnant girls are forced into motherhood and left to suffer with diseases and financial constraints as they cannot be hired for a decent pay because they are underage. Until a girl is 18 years and very capable of making her own decisions, men have no business marrying or doing anything matrimonial for that matter with teenage schoolgirls. However, putting pregnancy aside, what could be worse than the painful cry from a child dying of HIV/AIDS? Chances are that anyone who has unprotected sex is likely to contract the killer disease. Now, kids being kids, they do not see the need to take what their elders tell them seriously. On the contrary, it is elders taking life too seriously. They come up with all sorts of rubbish that they use to convince their partner into having sex like, ‘it won’t happen the first time’ or ‘if you do it in a certain period of time nothing will happen’. This situation is so sad really, especially when children find themselves in such predicaments because they did not know any better or could not care less. In addition, it does not help when they listen to “irresponsible” adults talking of ARV’s (HIV medication) like it is not so bad anymore, to contract the virus. Much as the medication is helping people to live longer lives, it still is not a cure and therefore should not be considered as one. Schools should be more generous with their sex education classes and not limit it to one hour of class time in about one month! There are charts with pictures of what HIV/AIDS does to the body. Some real life patients are gracious enough to tell their story to students and also encourage them to be careful with their lives. Application of condoms should be the last resort and in doing so, cautioning them on what will happen if they do not use the material given to them. Abstinence comes first but with today’s kids and the internet taking blame for most of the evil the world faces, we must take drastic action. Teenage disasters like pregnancy and unnecessary maternal deaths should be at the brink of extinction and not, at the point of reaching its peak. Much as the internet has corrupted society, there is a lot to learn from it. We just need to fight a little harder. rachelgaruka@yahoo.co.uk