Africa-Press – Botswana. Sex is not for learners, especially those who are underage. Therefore, teenager must stay away from it, for them to have a shot at a good future. Various speakers made the exhortation at a recent panel discussion organised by Rena Le Seabe organisation in commemoration of the Month of Youth-Against HIV/AIDS here. Lobatse District HIV/AIDS coordinator Mr Letlhogela Malebe explained that the town registered many cases of teenage pregnancy over the past five years.
Mr Malebe said a cumulative 478 cases were registered from April 2018 to December 2022.
He said the number included both in and out-of-school teens.
He said 100 of the cases were registered in 2018/19, 70 cases in 2019/20, 139 in 2020/21, 96 in 2021/22, and 73 in December 2022/23.
“These high figures indicate that there is early sexual debut among our teens, unprotected sex or inconsistent condom use. On the flip side, the issue could also indicate that there is child sexual abuse, defilement, rape of children and gender-based violence happening in our community. These are the challenges faced by society,” he said. Mr Malebe said the figures represented registered cases only, while the actual number could be higher.
He, therefore, implored stakeholders to treat teenage pregnancy as a serious challenge and develop strategies for protecting youth from falling victim. He said objectives of the Month of Youth-Against HIV/AIDS activities were to promote adolescent and sexual reproductive health youth-friendly services.
The activities also provided an opportunity to interact, share information, skills, and experiences and update knowledge of youth on sexual reproductive health and available programmes, he said. The activities were also aimed at intensifying efforts on HIV testing and counselling.
Pastor Israel Tshikare from Lobatse Ministers Fraternal said some female students dated older men, which exposed them to pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. He said, “Young people are often guilty of pushing life.
They seem to think that the grass is always greener on the other side. But each stage of life has its blessings.
It is what you need to understand and know that growth and development always take time.”
He therefore urged them to allow themselves to grow and know their purpose in life before they could engage in sexual relationships.
He also pleaded with parents to discourage their children from dating too early “You should have no sex outside marriage.
That is the main message,” said the pastor. Ms Lekwalo Thobega, who is a teacher counsellor at Letsopa Junior Secondary School in Lobatse, said theyprovided guidance and counselling services in schools to make learners aware of the risks of early sexual relationships.
She said schools usually did everything possible to ensure that their female learners completed their studies, adding losing learners to teenage pregnancy was usually a big blow to teachers.
She also said they provided learners with counselling in the event they became pregnant, and facilitated their return to school after they gave birth.
A Lobatse magistrate Ms Thato Ramaja said it was an offence to have sex with a minor.
She said the offence carried a sentence of 20 years imprisonment.
She added that the penalty would be increased to 30 years imprisonment if the perpetrator had HIV/AIDS.
The law classifies any person under the age of 18 as a minor.
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