The North West Department of Education has bemoaned the persisting challenge of teenage pregnancy in the province.
MEC Viola Motsumi says it’s one of the leading factors that affect the Department’s ambition of obtaining first position in the national matric results.
This emerged during an outreach programme on addressing teenage pregnancy held at the Bojanala District in Phokeng Village, near Rustenburg on Sunday.
The initiative was in partnership with the Royal Bafokeng Institute, The Department of Health including health professionals and doctors from the Steve Biko Academic Hospital.
Motsumi said efforts by the Department and its partners to end pregnancy among youth will only yield the desired results if learners also make the right personal choices.
“We do try to teach you about teenage pregnancy and that if you engage in sexual activities, you will fall pregnant through our Life Orientation and Life Sciences subjects but at the end of the day, the choice lies with you.
You must decide on a future you want and take these teachings.
We will continue to do our best to give you the necessary information you need but we need you to make better choices,” said Motsumi when she was addressing the Bafokeng High School learners.
The Commission for Gender Equality research report titled School Dropout of Adolescent Girls during Pregnancy and in the Postpartum Period Policy Dialogue, released earlier this year, flagged an alarming rise of teenage pregnancy cases in North West.
Amongst the recommendations made by the Commission was a call for strengthened efforts to report cases of sexual abuse against young girls and ramp up support programmes to disadvantaged families.
Additionally, the MEC also highlighted the plight of drug use amongst young people and called on families and caregivers to collaborate with the Department to address this challenge.
Motsumi concluded by urging the youth to draw inspiration from the generation of 1976, as the country marks Youth Month.
