Obrein Simasiku
Tsumeb-Pupils have been cautioned to guard against teenage pregnancy and to focus on their education, so that they can have a better future.
This was a precaution from Minister of Gender Equality and Social Welfare Doreen Sioka, who said young women are lured by men into sexual acts for money and in pretence that they will marry them, hence cautioning the learners that men do not marry uneducated women, thus the learners should not fall prey to men before they have secured their own future.
She was speaking at the commemoration of the Day of the African Child in Tsumeb on Friday, where she reminded learners and the youth at large of the student uprising in Soweto, South Africa on June 16, 1976, when students protested against the poor quality of education they received.
This year’s theme was ‘Accelerating Protection, Empowerment and Equal Opportunities for Children in Africa by 2030’.
“Dear children present here, Namibia values you, our future generation. Therefore, we have committed several policies, decisions, programmes and services to ensure we reach the Sustainable Development Goals and Harambee Prosperity Plan to reduce poverty. As government, we would like to ensure that every child has access to basic necessities for survival,” Sioka stressed.
“Therefore, the Ministry of Gender and the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture work hand-in-hand to make sure that children are enrolled in school. Education shall be directed to the full development of the child as one of their human rights. Thus universal primary and universal secondary education is free in Namibia in order to make sure that no child is left behind,” Sioka explained.