Mombasa, Kenya: Secondary schools heads have criticised a proposal in the Reproductive Health Care Bill that seeks to introduce free after sex pills and condoms in schools. The principals have said the Motion negates the principle of morality that teachers are supposed to instill in students.
The principals who are meeting in Mombasa said yesterday that the provisions will go against the education policy and that it will encourage sex in the learning institutions.
“We fail to understand the thinking behind the proposed introduction of condoms and after sex pills in schools. It only means that someone somewhere has seen the business opportunity given the number of students we have in schools,” said Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association Chairman (Kessha), John Awiti
He said the number of students dropping out school due to early pregnancies was negligible and that the Government and legislature should come up with ways to strengthen existing mechanisms that has kept the number low.
No justification
Kessha Chairman estimates that only 12 to 13 students drops out of school yearly due to early pregnancies out of over 2 million and that the number does not justify the introduction of such policies.
The Bill, to be introduced in the Senate this week by nominated Senator Judith Sijeny, has already received criticism and opposition from educationists. Already, the Kenya National Union of Teacher (Knut) and Kenya Union of Post-Primary Teachers (Kuppet) have opposed the move, saying that total obstinacy should be the only message teachers should give the students and not condoms given that the tutors have an obligation to promote moral values in schools and a community.
Sex zones
Mr Awiti said that the facts being given to back the introduction of the protective gears had been exaggerated and that “we won’t allow an 8-10-year-old to be given a condom because it even goes against the law.”
“We are talking on behalf of parents and we tell those businessmen who have seen a business opportunity in schools that we are currently reducing the non-essential items from schools and condoms will not be accepted,” he said.
He added that if the legislature and the Government went ahead and introduced the provisions, then “they should be ready to set time in the timetable and areas where those condoms will be used, and label them sex zones.”
The school heads are in Mombasa for a five day conference with the theme “promoting quality education for sustainable development”.
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