In yesterday's edition we reported that the department of basic education has come up with a new sex health policy for pupils in an attempt to reduce teenage and child pregnancy.
The regulation will see 12-year-olds getting condoms and femidoms and "reasonable" information on how to use them depending on the questions they ask. This will be done in a safe, friendly environment by nurses affiliated to the integrated school health programme.
According to the policy, schools will be mandated to provide “scientifically accurate, age-appropriate and comprehensive information and materials on sexual and reproductive health rights”, as reported by Sunday Times Daily.
Pupils accessing contraceptives and sexual information, while taking into consideration their age and needs, is a step in the right direction as statistics on teenage pregnancy show girls as young as 10 years old had given birth.
In Gauteng, 23,226 children fell pregnant between April last year and March this year, as revealed by Gauteng health MEC Nomathemba Mokgethi in a written reply to questions raised by the DA.
Mokgethi said 934 babies were delivered by girls between the ages of 10 and 14, and over 19,000 were delivered by pupils, aged 15 to 19. Close to 3,000 girls, aged 10 to 19, had terminated their pregnancies.
The figures had tongues wagging when they were disclosed two months ago, especially as they were only from one province. Many questions were asked about the identity of the biological fathers.
As part of the new policy, the identity and role of the biological father are important, if he is also a pupil he must be “guided to assume and sustain his rights and responsibilities”. Teachers are also required to report to the police where a child under 16 impregnated by a partner who is over 16 so that the law can take its course.
The law enforcement involvement should go a long way in reducing cases of statutory rape and it is most welcome. We hope the inclusion of the clause will keep older men away from school girls.
Teachers and other school workers will be trained to provide comprehensive sex education, pregnancy and maternity information, counselling and on how to be supportive, in a stigma-free and youth-friendly environment.
We hope the government has started the training of teachers and redeploying nurses to the programme by now, as the policy was approved by cabinet last month.
If not, it must do so soon to ensure implementation It would be a waste of resources to have come up with a regulation that has the potential to reduce teen pregnancy but still fail because of lack of training or personnel.
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