Students speak on condom distribution

20 Sep, 2015 - 00:09 0 Views
Students speak on condom distribution

The Sunday Mail

As the rate of teen pregnancies is rising in the country, several ways to avoid them have been raised and implemented but there is still one which has been discussed over and over again – the distribution of condoms in High schools. This has been discussed in both the Senior and Junior Parliament sessions among other organizations. The Sunday Mail Bridge Reporter BRYAN ZHAWI (First Year Student at NUST) hooked up with some of the Junior Councillors and Junior Parliamentarians to discuss the topic “Is Condom Distribution necessary in High schools to reduce Child marriages”.
Nhlanhla Moyo
Former Junior President (2014-2015)
Milton High School

The Question at Hand is whether the distribution of condoms in schools will reduce child marriages- I think not. Firstly, the major cause of child marriages is poverty. Now this is something that happens at home. Giving children condoms at school will not solve the economic problem at home but will rather put pressure on the girl child to seek money through sex because she thinks she has protection and society has endorsed her sexual activity by giving her condoms.

Parents will still marry her off to an older man as long as poverty is thriving in that home with or without the condoms.
Secondly another major cause of child marriages has to do with religious and cultural practices that are not child friendly like kuripa ngozi/ingozi. These things happen in the societal setup and not necessarily in schools and that kinda makes the distribution of condoms in schools a lame idea, for now at least.

The key here is not to flash out condoms as statistics will show that we are one of the highest condom using countries in Southern Africa. The answer is comprehensive education on sexuality, tightening the leash in terms of our laws and to try and educate society to move away from the savage way it’s treating the girl child. At the end of the day let’s make society realise that children are ASSETS and not LIABILITIES
Tafadzwa. Z. Ponela A Junior Mayor For Ruwa Town Council, A Vice Headboy At Goromonzi High School, President Interact Club.

It is not authentic to say condom distribution is necessary to reduce child marriages in high schools, This is so because if we take a look at the current status quo there are no condoms being distributed in schools and this issue of child marriages has never been that serious that us as a nation we have decided to take such a measure. Distribution of condoms in school will only put students in a tempting position to use them whether they are at school or not. Distribution of condoms without the correct and consistent use of them is useless so we are saying it’s not necessary to distribute condoms in high schools.

Our rural High schools are in great need of textbooks and there is already need for effective distribution, I think that’s the only distribution we can talk about at this point in time. At least our societies must teach these issues to our youths and play the role of gogo Mulambo to educate the youth about the gruesome effects of child-marriages because condom distribution in high school does not also involve “monitoring “so we don’t have a guarantee that our students in the high schools are going to use them properly. It’s not a matter of policy making but what’s right for our future Zimbabwe. This issue of child marriages is not mainly concentrated on high schools since they are mainly related to adults so distribution of condoms is of no use. There is need to work with the issues which are causing child marriages such as religious sects .
Craig John Hughes
Prince Edward School U6
Honourable Councilor For The City Of Harare 2014-2015

I feel we no more live in a patriarchal society…teenagers are stubborn. Preventing them from indulging in sexual activities only pushes them into doing so. Best option is to allow for it to happen with safety measures in place like access to condoms in schools cause with or without them teens will still go ahead. There is also the factor of the stigma that arises when a student does decide to buy condoms thus preventing them from buying them which leads to teen pregnancies and a spread of STIs and AIDS. There is more harm in not giving us teens condoms than in providing them for us.
Chipochashe Nehohwa
Harare Junior Councilor(2014)
Upper Six Student
Christ Ministries High School

The distribution of condoms in high schools in my opinion is a necessary evil. In the sense that it helps to minimize the rate at which unwanted teenage pregnancies occur. Thus child marriages are reduced since they often result from such untimely occurrences.
In different light, the distribution acts as a catalyst that supports the participation of children and young adults in sexual activities hence it indirectly contributes. One needs to consider the fact that once the condoms are distributed to children experiencing changes both physically and emotionally the probability of them taking part in ‘the act’ is high . Out of a 100 children given the condoms only 20 will actually use them and the rest will do otherwise , because it is a tendency of children to do what’s not recommended. Thus what was being avoided is what’s occurring, she gets pregnant, leaves school and gets married off resulting in poverty yet the bright future of the girl child turns dark.

However, it is important to note that these marriages do not always occur as a result of the carelessness of teenagers. Family, national and religious factors contribute too, hence they are what should be tackled to curb the problem.

Family wise, poverty which is largely posed by the economy where the rich become richer and the poor become poorer. This has resulted in parents marrying off children (kuzvarira) to those of a better financial standing and resolve the money problem.
Another contributing factor is that pertaining to religious and traditional practices. Some African Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe promote the marrying off of young girls to older men, because of their doctrines and traditionally children are married off to Spirit mediums so as to prevent family misfortunes.

Some traditional and religious elders are taking advantage of these doctrines to marry young girls or should I say destroy the ‘girl child’s future and the rights of a child are suppressed to satisfy the lustful adults.

To sum up the distribution of condoms isn’t the panacea to early child marriages , rather the causes that are at national and family levels are what should be addressed to reduce or even eradicate the problem.
Tanaka Charamba
Junior Mayor Of Bulawayo
Milton High School,U6

Condom Distribution is Unnecessary in High Schools because it encourages pupils to engage in sexual activities which contradicts what they are being taught at schools which is abstinence. It actually will give rise to teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases as pupils now see it as a go ahead initiative to indulge in sexual intercourse whilst they are still at school. Child marriages are mainly caused by elderly people who marry school going children because of her age and beauty hence distributing condoms at high school’s will only lead to more child marriages as elderly people now see these girl children fit for marriage.
Allyson Farah
Townsend High School
Junior Public Relations Officer Of Bulawayo

The only thing that should be distributed at schools are books in my view. By giving children at schools condoms we are saying “have sex but do it safely” abstinence is a key lesson to be taught at a time like this. It’s important to invest in our future as youths and condoms are not part of that investment.
Gamuchirai Matsikira
Solid Foundation (Children Advocating Organization)
Mufakose 2 High (Form4)

Marriages are a Godly institution which should be held and treated with due respect and honor. Basically, to me, this ordinance is sacred. It’s not a trial and error. It’s not a joke.

By virtue of saying CHILD marriages, we see it clear that there is a problem in our society in terms of ethics and morality and the introduction of condoms as a solution clearly tells us that there is a failure in a certain system in the maintenance of conduct of the scholars.
Distribution of condoms in high schools cannot be regarded as a solution to child marriages. This is so by the virtue that it is an endorsement of sexual activities in schools. In short, what it means is this, ‘Scholars are now being encouraged to engage into sexual immorality.’ Child marriages are not the problem, rather immorality among the scholars.

This measure will not help instill discipline in schools but rather make more children vulnerable. This is a green light to promiscuity. It’s a pure encouragement to prostitution. So my worry becomes, ‘Are we being protected or we are being handed over to the devil.’

Is, ‘have protected sex,’ the best advice I can receive from an elder as a teenager? Will that elder or distributor not demand the same from me? As an individual, my thought would be why not turn back to the old and traditional ways where morality was an emphasis. Ethics was the heart of the elder’s teaching. Nothing can solve better a problem than purity and righteous conduct. Is this is a way of getting global, then it is a wrong start, this is compromise.

Teach us to focus on school. Teach us respect. Teach us focus and determination. Increase activities and programs in schools that allow us to reach our goals. Do not protect us in going the wrong way, but rather show us the right direction.

Condom distribution is not a solution but rather acceptance of failure by responsible elder’s, organizations and systems.
Yes we agree that PREVENTION IS BETTER THAN CURE, but allow me to submit to you that, MORALITY IS BETTER THAN PREVENTION.

Students, YOU CAN SEND YOUR LYRICS REQUESTS THROUGH WHATSAPP, TEXT, E-MAIL OR FACEBOOK! Just app Charles Mushinga on 0772936678 or send to Charles Mushinga at [email protected] or [email protected] or follow Charles Mushinga on Facebook or @charlesmushinga on Twitter.

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