The Ministry of Education has been asked to start a mentorship programme in schools to help reduce the rising number of teenage pregnancies in various parts of the country.
Speaking during a meeting with church leaders at Kathiani yesterday, Bishop Meshack Mukwilu of Africa Brotherhood Church said that if mentorship programmes are initiated early enough, they will end the high rate of adolescent pregnancies and also help girls not to drop out of school due to the same.
“The programme should involve mentors who will teach our girls and boys on the risks involved due to premarital sex,” said the Bishop.
Dr Mukwilu noted that many victims of pregnancies are ordinary pupils from poor family backgrounds whose parents easily collude with offenders and settle their cases out of court after being given money as compensation
He called on parents to take their parenting role seriously to educate and advice their teenagers and to also stop out-of-court settlements whenever their children fall victims to pedophiles and instead report them to the police for the law to take its course.
“Parents should be good role models to their children. The government should enforce strict laws for those who abuse children sexually and also create public awareness on the effects of sexual violence,” said the Bishop.
The Bishop also called on the Children’s Department to strengthen their campaigns against teenage pregnancies especially in rural areas by addressing its causes through working on improved data collection and information systems to identify children at risk and track their progress.
By Gastone Musyoka
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