Osun: Stakeholders Bemoan Rate Of Teenage Pregnancies, Blame Parent, Govt

Stakeholders in the education sector have expressed displeasure over the spate of teenage pregnancies in the state public schools, blaming parents for failing to play their roles.

An Educationalist, Mrs Olayinka Oderinde while featuring on a news and current affairs program on Rave Fm, Osogbo identified lack of parental care as one of the major factors that contributed to the ugly incident.

Oderinde who bemoaned the development, said teachers are not to be blamed for the rise in teenage pregnancies, rather, parents and government have failed in their responsibilities.

She said that there are numerous factors that cause unwanted pregnancy among teenagers.

Some of the factors according to Oderinde are ; lack of parental care and guidance, poverty in society and ignorance of development in the parts of the body, low level of sexual education and the hardship of the parents among others.

The educationist urged government to take up constant awareness in schools and homes and also charged parents to always counsel their children especially the girl child.

She said the committee set up by the government to tackle the decadence should include teachers, parents and clerics.

The PTA secretary asked government to take advocacies and sensitisation of pupils and parents to rural areas saying the trend is more prevalent there.

The Chairman, Osun Education Quality Assurance and Morality Enforcement Agency, Dr. Isiaka Owoade, while reacting said, a committee has been set up to address the menace.

Owoade disclosed that the committee would counsel girls to abstain from unnecessary sexual experimentation adding that there would be sex education across public schools.

He said a group of counselors are currently being trained and charged parents to create more time to take proper care of their children. “Every parent is a counselor. We will make teachers mentors of these children. Each teacher will be allotted to a student.

According to him, Parents and Teachers Association (PTA) and counsellors have adduced mentoring as panacea to curbing teenage pregnancies and other immoralities in the schools.

He explained that the agency is seriously working on how to restrain the predicament in all the public schools in the state.

He warned the teachers to discharge their roles in accordance with the laid down rules and regulations, saying any teacher that involved in impregnating students would be made to face the music.

Urging stakeholders on the need to also play their roles, Owoade said eradicating the menace of teenage pregnancies in the country requires a collective effort of every individual.

He whoever implored parents to ensure they have cordial relationship with the teachers so as to checkmate their students.

A resident who weighed in his comment on the programme advised government to arrest and prosecute anyone found smoking Indian hemp in the state saying marijuana is now being sold in some parts of Osun.