Tebogo Kgabo Mpya insists that sex education is the only way to equip children adequately for their futures
A 20-year-old mother will knock at a grade one class for the registration of her kid. Looking at her stress-reflecting face, tears will just roll down my cheeks.
As a grade 1 teacher at a farm school, I wake up every school day full of energy to meet my beautiful, honest little faces. With outcomes-based education already implemented, I can assure you that the classroom is filled with many activities. We will do rhymes, sing-songs, create things, predict the results, organise … hey, the list is endless!
My worry is what these kids become. While in grade 1 they will say, with their smooth little voices, “I w-a-n-n-a-b-e, b-e a n-u-r-s-e!” or “I w-a-n-n-a-b-e a-n e-n-g-i-e-e-r!”, but early during their high school years, many of them become very young mothers. With the unemployment rate currently very high, these mothers will be hit hardly! They won’t have money to buy their kids clothes, food – basic things.
You can imagine the type of nation we will become when a mother is unable to give her child love and care. The kid will grow up neglected and at an early stage give herself up to boys, become pregnant, and face the same problems her mother faced. This state of affairs is really shocking!
I do not know if this is because of ignorance? Sex education must be taught in schools or else we are going nowhere! Their dreams are shattered as they face that parenthood. Our teenagers must be equipped with full knowledge, not just certain parts.
Let’s join hands together to eradicate this enenmy!
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– The Teacher/M&G Media, Johannesburg, June 2001.