Of Condoms In Schools, A Mother Asks…

When you are putting condoms in schools, what issue are you addressing? Is it the issue of girls and boys having sex at early age or its of the fact that sex is being recklessly being used for the low pass rate in schools.

: dotpolka / Foter / CC BY-NC-ND

If I recall well, many of our mothers gave birth to us when they were 15 to 18 or so years of age. Meaning sex always happened then to kids of school going age. I am not saying all but the majority.

Right, back to the issue of use of the condom itself. How many women married right now can negotiate for condom use with their husbands.( Lets be honest for a moment) Now if you cant or you find it difficult , imagine if Zvipo at 14 can do the same? (Think of your child/sister/niece negotiating for condom use). Whose is being given power in this process? If condoms are going to be put in schools, are these male condoms or both. Why did many of you “women” get pregnant in the first encounter, was it because you did not know condoms exist or sometimes it was the mere sight of the “penis” at 15 that made you numb. You had no words, how could you have negotiated for condom use when you were trying to conceptualize what you were seeing and how it was going to happen. Before you did anything you hormones made your confusion worse and the next think you remember was a weeks down the line , you missed your period.

Now imagine all the boys in school including the 12year old form one child with a condom in his wallet, believe me they will put it in the wallet. What will be in his mind? HUNT, “you have salt in your wallet now look for the meat.” (Food for thought). My next issue why are not introducing sex education in schools? Is that not what you are supposed to be discussing in Parliament? Ministry of Education Sport and CULTURE has a responsibility to have a curriculum that address all these issues. As a Ministry with Culture in it, is it “cultural” for boys and girls to be given condoms in schools. We have an Education Commission, Sports Commission, where is the Cultural commission. Is it there for window dressing processes, I thought part of it was to uphold our social norms and moral/cultural values. (Food for thought)

Please note I am not denying the fact that sex is happening amongst these youngsters. No. I work with young people on a daily basis. Sex is happening yes in schools may be a very small %. Where is the sex happening? If you are so committed and serious about making sure these young ones do not engage in sex early , this what I suggest. Can you please put monitors in clubs, pubs and bars (just like those ZBC boys vanonetsera naradio license paroad) to make sure that they do not enter such places.

This issue will be contested and believe in in the same parliament that wants to give our kids condoms because they own or share interests in some of these joints. Putting monitors will destroy “business”, when I get into these places I see the very people with young women 16 even as their trophies. So is the solution condoms in schools? House parties, do you know what happens there? Has there been an enquiry? ( All this is just food for thought). The other issue id POVERTY. Do you think the condom will stop a girl or a boy from engaging in sex achida chikafu? Can you LEGISLATORS find ways to end poverty in Zimbabwe so that we reduce the number of girls and boys selling their bodies because varikuda kutenga chingwa? Lets not use the excuse that’s sex is happening saka ngativapeyi macondoms. Don’t we have issue yemasmall house in Zimbabwe, why cant you change the Marriage act and include a clause yemasmall house because its happening. Lets us remember these are our children, we love them and we will not allow to just endorse these things on them. Where did you do your enquiry? I was not called there as a parent? If anyone did please advise me.

As The Girls legacy we are going to do a petition and anyone is against the cause can sign with us. We will put up the link later on today (Monday).

We have a choice, my last question though how many can actually go and buy condoms and give their kids ari form one, suppose muborder wotopacker macondom? I have not even spoken about the female condom, if its being given to the girls who is going to teach them how to use it? And from what age , because ari grade 2 can get in the grade 7 toilet if that will be point of collection?

Well……………..

Judith Dembetembe-Chiyangwa is a mother, a former girl in the school system and a girls rights activist. She is a director of The Girls Legacy.