Fawe launches sex education to curb teenage pregnancy

Forum for African Women Educationalists (Fawe) has launched a program that seeks to deal with the increasing incidences of teenage pregnancy.

The program dubbed Imarisha Msichana will be piloted in 20 selected counties which were found to have the highest cases.

Speaking during the launch, Evelyne Owuoko who represented Early learning and basic education PS Julius Jwan said eight schools from the selected counties will be taken through the program.

“Re-entry policies such as these ones are key in achieving education for all. As the Ministry, we support organizations in their endeavour to support education,” she said.

The programme will run for a period of three years, from June 2022 to June 2024.

The main beneficiaries are teen mothers/adolescents ages 9 to 18 years and young women aged 19 to 25 years.

However, she urged the stakeholders involved to liaise with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.

This, she said would ensure the content disseminated to the learners will not have any negative impact.

“Sex education is very sensitive so we need to know what to tell these girls so that there’s no misleading information given to them,” Owuoko said.

While reading Jwan’s speech, Owuoko acknowledged the challenges facing the fight to deal with teenage pregnancy.

Owuoko who serves as the director for planning and partnerships in the Ministry of education noted that the government has put across several retention measures.

“Most of these challenges are caused by the failure to implement life skills which are important in these kids' lives,” she said.

Fawe (Kenya) CEO Teresa Otieno said the choice of age group was occasioned by their vulnerability.

“It is possible and it has been proven before that a teenage mother can resume her studies and excel in her academics,” Otieno said.

The counties selected are Nakuru, Nairobi, Machakos, Elgeyo Marakwet, Kiambu, Garissa, Bungoma, Kakamega, Nyeri, and Migori,

Others are Murang’a, Kajiado, Narok, Homa-Bay, Trans-Nzoia, Nyandarua, Busia, Meru, Siaya, and Turkana.

In the framework of this programme, young girls will be provided with useful knowledge and necessary skills to be able to fully transition to adulthood.