I was quite shocked to read a report in the newspapers today which stated that one in 50 schoolgirls (aged between 13 and 15) in some parts of England and Wales, fall pregnant.
According to critics, this indicates that instead of helping, "more sex education and freely available contraception was backfiring".
I don't think that it's that simple. There are a number of possible other reasons I can think of including the breakdown of the family system, binge drinking, peer pressure, etc.
Guess this is something that the authorities in Malaysia and other countries should think about before they implement "enhanced" sex education and distribution of contraceptives to school children.
Read the Metro report: Schools where 1 in 50 girls fall pregnant
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4 comments:
I think in Malaysia there is a similiar situation.... or something like that......just that, all these are "covered-up" most of the time...
http://kennyljs.com/
Its high time that everyone adheres to their own culture and stick to the morals. But unfortunately, none of them will do so
What I do not get with your posting is that you mentioned that the possible problems could be due to and I quote “the breakdown of the family system, binge drinking, and peer pressure” which are all valid reasons but than you conclude by linking teenage pregnancies to sex education and distribution of contraceptives. I am a bit puzzled and unable to find a link with contraceptives and increased pregnancies. As adults we use contraceptives in our everyday life and may I add, very successfully to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Whilst parents will want to think that they could refrain their kids from having sex, there is a possibility despite all efforts that it will still happen. Teenage pregnancies and baby dumping have been big problems in Malaysia. It is just that it is widely documented in the Western world. Some of the pregnancies are not always results of consensual sex but also because of abuse and rape which is true in many cases in Malaysia and Africa. Along side with teenage pregnancies is also the lack of knowledge on sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Whilst it’s all well and good to say prevention is better than cure, we have to reckon with the fact that some teenagers will be having sex regardless. It’s like the pope going against distribution of condoms in Africa because people should refrain from sex in the first place but the fact remains that people are still dying from AIDS transmitted sexually. Informed sex education and contraceptives will at least give the girls and boys a chance to know/understand how their bodies work; what their actions would lead to and also most importantly in many cases avoid unwanted pregnancies and protection from STDs. Ignorance and not ackowleding that humans will continue to have sex will only make it worst.
Jules
Hi Jules, Thanks for the long comment. Actually I am not the one who came up with the linkages but some of the critics who think that those might be the reasons behind teenage pregnancies.
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