Parents blamed for teenage pregnancies
The Regional Aids Committee for Education (RACE) coordinator in the Kavango West region, Risto Shipanga, has urged parents to do more in combating the scourge of teenage pregnancy.
According to Shipanga, parents should come on board with schools and relevant authorities to address the issue, saying some pregnancy scenarios can be blamed on irresponsible parenting, especially with some children being allowed to cohabitate.
“You can say this is irresponsible parenting, learners are allowed to cohabitate, parents are allowing this type of behaviour,” he said.
“Parents have to be more responsible and address this issue at a family level. We are engaging through the schools so that they pass on the messages to the parents during the parental and community meetings, but the message is clear-parents have to do their part.”
He recalled instances where adults have become the downfall of their children, something he said is evident at the school level.
“For example, there have been situations where if a learner is impregnated by a teacher who seems to be a provider, the parents would threaten the Life Skills teacher to not report the matter,” remembered Shipanga.
Out of the 3 627 teenage pregnancies reported in the country by the education minister Anna Nghipodoka earlier this month, Kavango West has reported 554 and not 520 as earlier reported, making it the second highest in the country with Omusati leading the pack with 562 and Kavango East with 522.
“We have reported 554 teenage pregnancies in the Kavango West region according to the figures I have and it is even more than that. The region has 177 schools and we have engaged communities on different levels. When the lockdown was eased, we had community dialogues on comprehensive sexual education where we involved parents, community, political and even religious leaders, mobilising and advocating for sex education issues,” said Shipanga.
School counsellor in Kavango East Mercy Bupilo told New Era their mandate and responsibility is to ensure the implementation of the teenage pregnancy policy in schools and facilitate the prevention part of teenage pregnancy in about 160 schools in the region.
“We offer training to Life Skills teachers so that they can deliver content on sexual reproductive health to the learners. We also work with the health ministry that has programmes meant to empower girls on family planning and pregnancy,” shared Bupilo.
She highlighted some issues that teachers face in executing their duties and that includes parents refusing or being against their children being taught sexual reproductive health in schools.
“Parents probably don’t know the content and they have this perception that when you teach comprehensive sexual education, you are teaching learners how to have sex, which is not the case. We advocate for the management of sexual education because in the policy it clearly states that once prevention has failed, you move on to management,” she said.
“We are mandated to keep the position of the learner at a school for one year, after that they can go to a school of their choice without chasing them but as long as there is communication between the parents and the school, however, parents are not aware of this.”
The Forum for African Women Educationalist in Namibia (Fawena) national chapter coordinator Marlene Mungunda told New Era parents should be actively involved in their children’s education, communicate in good faith and be role models.
“Parents must also attend community meetings and empower themselves with knowledge on the impact of teenage pregnancies and protect their children,” she added.
Fawenaisanon-governmental organisation mandated to increase access, improve retention and enhance the quality of education of girls and young women in Namibia.
Mungunda said one of the best possible ways to address teenage pregnancies in Namibia is the awareness on teenage pregnancies which should be enforced as it has a negative impact in the society and include more stakeholders.
“Teenage pregnancy should also be declared a national threat in the country, political leadership must be included to participate in the fight against it,” she added.