With 1 260 school-going girls falling pregnant last year in the Ohangwena region, the directorate of education has pointed to a growing transactional sex trend which not only puts the girls’ progress in school at risk, but also their health. The education director in Ohangwena, Isak Hamatwi, said the number is huge as the majority of the culprits involved in impregnating learners are cattle herders, taxi drivers, police officers and ‘sugar daddies’.
These are the people who have cash instantly available.
“Some parents encourage their daughters to fall pregnant for economic reasons, to have grandchildren, and also to receive bribery from the cattle herders or cuca shop owners,” he said.
“The sad revelation of the dialogue is that the culprits tend to force the girls to have unprotected sex for the reason that they are paying for the sex. To that end, many girls do not have any choice but to give in, and learner pregnancies remain on the rise at our schools”.
Hamatwi said even primary school girls are not spared. The region has recorded a high number of 17 learners at the Onengali Primary School falling pregnant last year, which is a huge concern.
The Shituwa Secondary School recorded 50 teenage pregnancies, followed by the Oshela Senior Secondary School with 41 girls falling pregnant.
Pregnancy in young girls is considered a high health risk because of the additional burden imposed by reproduction on a still growing body.
In 2020, education minister Anna Nghipondoka said about 3 627 teenage pregnancies were recorded that year in all 14 regions, compared to 1 542 pupils who fell pregnant in 2019.
Hamatwi also revealed that boy learners are not that much involved in impregnating fellow learners because they do not have money.
The director emphasised that the directorate has a teenage pregnancy outreach programme done through their HIV and AIDS Prevention Section (HAPS), in collaboration with the Ministry of Health and Social Services.
“The programme entails a dialogue with learners, both boys and girls, grouped as per their ages. The dialogue probes as to what drives them to indulge in sexual activities. Many girls cite mostly the absence of parents at home. Moreover, they are tempted by seeing their peers possessing material things such as cell phones and nice clothes, and that drives them to also transact sex for money and cell phones,” Hamatwi stressed.
He added that after the dialogue, their officials go to the next stage of advising learners against indulging in sexual activities at their age as that has the potential of ruining their future, as some will end up dropping out of school.
The educationist then urged parents to discourage girls from falling pregnant at an early age because this will simply have a negative impact on their performance at school, and further contribute to a cycle of poverty for families.
Caption: (Pregnant)