The Education Department's recent statistical data shows that about 1300 adolescent girls and young women are infected with HIV each week.
The department has committed to intensifying the implementation of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in public schools.
Additionally, Gauteng's Health Department revealed that 23 000 girls aged under 18 gave birth in the province within a span of eleven months between April 2020 and March 2021.
There were similarly shocking statistics in other provinces during the DBE's Portfolio Committee discussion that was held last month.
The Basic Education Department’s Chief Director of Care and Support, Coceka Nogoduka says that in as much as this may be a difficult conversation for some parents. The department is obliged to impart knowledge on sexuality to learners to ensure behavioural change and confidence among learners.
She adds that this is particularly the case among young girls as this will make it easy to identify and respond to child abuse.
Nogoduka also points out that CSE is not only focused on learners, as there is also a component that focuses on parents and School governing bodies with the aim of empowering them to have these conversations.
Comprehensive Sexuality Education is age-appropriate, it gets those conversations going. It has a component that focuses on parents. In most homes, it's taboo to start conversations around sex.
Furthermore, the Chief Director states that as part of the programme they are currently working on capacitating teachers to be able to intervene with the necessary support structures when they notice pregnancies among learners that are age 10 and below.
However, she also points out that there are policy glitches when it comes to girls aged between 12 and 14. This is because according to the Child Act, a child can consent to sexual activity,
This according to Nogoduka is an issue that will have to be tackled by the Minister of Basic Education Department as well as the Minister of Social Development.
