BUJUMBURA, May 24th (ABP) – The Organization of First Ladies of Africa in Burundi (OPDAD-Burundi) organized on Wednesday, May 22, 2024, an awareness campaign for young pupils in schools on sexual and reproductive health, HIV / AIDS and nutrition for the year 2023 – 2024, for the pupils of the Maranatha High School in Kivoga, in Mutimbuzi commune, Bujumbura province, a check on the site by ABP has revealed.
In his remarks for the occasion, the assistant to the Minister of National Education and Scientific Research, Mr. Herménégilde Burikukiye who had represented the First Lady in that activity, indicated that what motivated the organization of a such campaign in boarding schools is that cases of school dropouts linked to unwanted pregnancies have been observed.
He gave the example of the 2021-2022 school year, where in basic school, out of a total of 349,513 pupils across the country, 351 cases of abandonment linked to unwanted pregnancies were recorded.
In post-basic school, out of a total of 117,709 pupils across the country, 668 cases of abandonment linked to unwanted pregnancies were recorded.
For the year 2022-2023, at basic school, out of a total of 368,517 pupils across the country, 343 cases of abandonment linked to unwanted pregnancies were recorded. In post-basic school, out of a total of 183,121 pupils across the country, 536 cases of abandonment linked to unwanted pregnancies were recorded.
At a time when the State’s objective is for every child of school age to attend school and complete their studies, unwanted pregnancies come as obstacles to achieving that objective, according to Mr. Burikukiye, adding that the place of daughter is at school and not in the maternity ward.
For that reason, he asked the pupils of Maranatha High School to avoid adultery which is the source of all evil. Among the latter, he cited the unwanted pregnancies already mentioned HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. He also asked them to avoid the consumption of drugs, alcohol, drunkenness, bad companions and other behaviors that can harm their future.
The pupils of that establishment are also invited to be visionaries, to avoid laziness, to work hard to prepare well for their future. They must listen to and follow the advice of their parents and that of their educators at school.
Parents are invited to keep a watchful eye on the education of their children.
After that advice, the pupils followed a session on the fight against AIDS, sexual and reproductive health and good nutritional practices adapted to adolescents and young people.
For their part, the pupils of Maranatha High School welcomed the lessons and advice provided to them and promised to behave well to prepare for their future.