Age-appropriate sex education is necessary for our children!

Parents must appreciate their unique role in the socialisation of their children. [iStockphoto]

As a public health expert and researcher, I love numbers. They are an accurate representation of the gravity of an issue. According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, 15 per cent of girls between the age of 15 and 19 have ever been pregnant. This statistic increases as they age - 3 per cent among 15-year-olds to 31 per cent among those aged 19.

This is a clear indication that as parents and guardians, there is a need to have age-appropriate conversations on sex. We live in an age where our children are exposed to information through different platforms, these include online and the media, peers, older people and many other avenues. This means that we are raising a curious generation hence, a case for age-appropriate sex education.