Some parents in Chinsali district in Muchinga Province have expressed worry that their children are accessing condoms in schools. Bowa Mulenga has told the Zambia News and Information Services (ZANIS) that children must not access condoms until they are mature enough to learn about the use of condoms.
Ms. Mulenga observed that allowing children to have access to condoms in schools will force them to indulge in sexual activities at a tender age.
Another parent, Ostetia Musonda, a marketeer, stated that children will not concentrate on their education if they are allowed to freely access condoms in schools.
She said pupils should not access condoms but instead be encouraged to attend school regularly especially that there is now free education.
“Our children will not concentrate in school but focus on the use of condoms if they can easily access condoms at school and this will affect their performance,” she said.
And Fred Mutale, a marriage counselor, said his counselling services have been affected as a result of children learning about the use of condoms at a tender age.
“If children are taught how to use a condom whilst they are young, then what is our job as marriage counselors,” he said.
However, Dominic Musheshu, a parent, said the distribution of condoms in schools is a good thing.
Mr. Musheshu said pupils must know about positives and negatives of indulging in sexual activities at a young age.
“Many Zambian parents ignore the need to teach children about condoms and sex. This has led our children to explore things they do not know,” he said.
Meanwhile, Muchinga Province Health Director, David Silweya, said the Ministry of Health is working with the Ministry of Education to reduce the number of teenage pregnancies.
Dr. Silweya added that the Ministry of Health has trained peer educators to also train teachers on how to teach children about sex education.
“We have a programme to reach peer educators who in turn train teachers on how to teach young people about sex education,” said.
Upnd is a failed project
Is better with something, than nothing.
Why is government taking away from parents their right to bring up their children? Its the father and mother who should decide whether their child should be introduced to sex and given condoms. Government now wants to teach these boys and girls how to have sex. Its government to blame for increase of STIs and early pregnancies because its government that is introducing sex acts to our kids.
BUT NO AS BAD AS THE PF DEBACLE
WHO DID ZERO
Please stop this madness; schools need teachers, books, desks, good morals, etc not condoms. They started with the bars, then hotels, restaurants, public toilets, and now schools – God forbid. God bless Zambia!
Kikikikiki and this is the change you voted for….like seriously…..UPND is a failed project no doubt….now it’s about Sodomy, rampant Gays and condoms…..these are the main headlines under UPND government
Jokers Association of Zambia(JAZ), attacking UPND, after messing a decent economy inherited from the MMD. More money in peoples pockets in 90 days in ten years Zero money in peoples pockets. PF was a total disaster
No sane parent would support this insane program.
Condoms are better provided going with education about their use, and that they must be the last resort if abstinence completely fails. Condoms are also good because metal to metal produces undesirable fire
Distributing the condoms is a practical solution to a practical problem. The parents should exercise their roles well and teach kids that sex before marriage is not helpful, however, government is doing the most practical thing to avert pregnancies and HIV.
What research is govt using to introduce this action?
The story is unclear. Who’s distributing condoms in schools?
How does UPND come in? PF was procuring leaking condoms. Has anybody been brought to account for this one among the countless PF mis haps
Teenage pregnancies going up, STI amongst teenagers going up.
What other way can this problem be addressed?
People get real, free condoms to teenagers is a way of trying to find an answer to a massive problem.
Next it will be homosexual education
Why is government taking away from parents their right to bring up their children? Its the father and mother who should decide whether their child should be given condoms but government now wants to teach these boys and girls how to have sex. Its government to blame for increase of STIs and early pregnancies because its government that is introducing sex acts to our kids.