Pupils are having sex in empty classrooms says junior senator

Masvingo - Pupils are having sex in empty classrooms, in the school grounds or sneak out of boarding to meet at night clubs and for schools to continue to deny them access to condoms is to refuse to accept reality, Child Senator and Victoria High lower sixth student, Milton Gwamure has said.

In Masvingo pupils stream to get condoms at a barber shop along Hofmeyer Street near Landmark Beer hall and others go to a barber shop near TM or along Mutare Road, said Gwamure during a community dialogue meeting held at a Masvingo hotel last week.

Gwamure who represents pupils from Masvingo as a Senator in the Child Senate said there was no need for parents and policy makers to continue to deny children access to condoms at school. He said by the time girls get to form 3;  50 percent of them would already be engaging in sex. He said the other 50 percent would just be waiting for someone to push them and due to peer pressure most would soon be doing it.

"Policy makers and parents must just realise that the subject of sex has become complex and they must get it from us on the ground. Technology has changed and children have access to pornography on the phone, on the net, on tv and many other places. Girls in secondary are dating men the age of their fathers and the influence that such girls bring to schools does not allow society to continue to ignore the reality of the need for safe sex in schools. Pupils who are not experienced take a plunge and end up with STIs and possibly HIV and Aids," said Gwamure.

He said pupils were having sex in schools and said some waited for a classroom to be empty and they would sneak in and have sex, others went into the school grounds at night while others meet at nightclubs.

"Parents are in a denial state, they want to continue to believe that their children are abstaining when it is not true. Its either we accept that they are doing it and give them condoms in schools or we deny it and they get infected with STIs and HIV and Aids. If we don't give them condoms in schools, they go and get them from the most awkward places where they are not safe. Those who don't get them from there will do it without condoms exposing themselves to STIs, HIV and Aids and teen pregnancies," said Gwamure.

The community dialogue had been arranged by Batanai, HIV and Aids Service Organisation (Bhaso). The Young4real community dialogue program attracted people from all sectors including the youths.

Speaking after Gwamure Masvingo District Nursing Officer, Rebecca Pasipanodya took to the floor and also highlighted the problems encountered by the youths.
She however, blamed early sex to lack of parental guidance and peer pressure.

"The benchmark of achievement can be measured by surpassing what your parents have achieved," she urged the youths.

In the ensuing debate most parents remained adamant that giving condoms to children was like encouraging them to engage in sex.

"Giving children condoms was like assigning them with the sex task," said a parent.