February 2, 2017
Over 54, 825 Schools Teen pregnancies recorded
Musokotwane Compassion Mission Zambia (MCMZ) has urged the Government of the Republic of Zambia to revisit the September, 1997 Re-entry policy charging that the process need to intensively engage traditional leaders, parents and young people.
Speaking on a live radio program on Wednesday 1st February, 2017 on Choma Maanu Radio Station, MCMZ Executive Director Mr. Genious Musokotwane says over 54,825 tenage pregnancies in schools have been recorded since 1997 up to date, hence their recommendation that Government through the Ministry of Education should consider undertaking an evaluation process in order to critically address the increasing number of teenage pregnancies in Zambian schools.
However, Musokotwane praised Government for introducing Sexual Reproductive Health (SRH) lessons in the Zambian Schools.
He adds that the development if coupled with deliberate introduction of increased livelihood and entrepreneurship skills that reduces the vulnerability of girls engaging in transaction sex teen pregnancies would see a facelift.
And MCMZ Programs & Resource Mobilization Director, Ms. Farai Sylvia Liwewe has condemned the view of some members of the public of think the policy has contributed to the rise in teen pregnancy.
Ms Liwewe says their organization wholly supports government policies aimed at improving lives of young people especially the girl child.
“MCMZ fully supports this policy and other policies laid down by government to better the girl child, and so doing, the organization is targeting to retrieve and send back to school 24 girls which four of them are already in school and the organization is providing the all the basic needs.” Says Liwewe
She added that most of the teenage pregnancies witnessed in schools were a result of circumstances beyond the girl child’s control such as defilements, high poverty levels leading to transaction sex and lack of accurate access to information on the Sexual Reproductive Health.