Comprehensive sexuality education in schools plays a key role in HIV/STIs and teenage pregnancy prevention

There are nearly 10 million adolescents in Kenya. Out of these 10 million, over 60% attend public or private schools for at least 8 hours a day during the most crucial and critical years of their intellectual, physical, social and emotional development. Apart from the family, Schools are the main places responsible for the development and growth of adolescents and young people.

In Kenya, one in every 4 youths aged 15 to 24 years reported sexual debut before the age of 15. A lot of adolescents and young people engage in risky sexual behaviors that can result to unintended health outcomes. Only 11% of women aged 15 to 24 years and 43% for young men in the same age group reported condom use consistently with partners of unknown HIV status in the past 12 months. Risky sexual behaviors place adolescents at risk for HIV infection and other Sexually Transmitted Infections, as well as for unintended pregnancies.