Editor's Note: TUKO.co.ke blogger of the day is Philip Etale, the Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) party's Director of Communications and a regular commentator on social-economic and political issues.

Today he talks elaborately about the alarming statistics on early pregnancies among teenagers, especially in primary schools, how the modern parents have failed their daughters, and what can possibly be done to reverse the worrying trend.

While in the countryside a fortnight ago, I spoke to a head-teacher of a local primary school back in the village on the ongoing debate of early pregnancies. He said to me that although his school hasn't been affected, the problem is bigger than we think.

“This is a societal problem. It starts right from home, school and then spreads into the society,” he said.

The veteran teacher who has three years left to retire from service said three things lead young girls into early/unwanted pregnancies. These are poverty, lack of exposure to sex education and parents’ inability to instill discipline in their children.

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The Kenya National Examination Council (KNEC) chairman George Magoha blamed high adolescent pregnancies on poor parenting.

Source: UGC

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The increasing cases of early pregnancies among school going children, particularly primary school pupils is worrying. A journalist told me just the other day, “the reason why such cases are highlighted during examination time is because the whole nation is focused on the exercise hence no room to hide”. He went on to say that such cases occur every day unreported.

It is claimed that parents have abdicated their duty of taking care of their children, counselling them and spending maximum time with their children to teachers. For instance, in day public schools, a child leaves home as early as 5am to go to school and returns home as a late as 6pm. They get home tired, and embark on their homework, have supper and retire to bed in readiness for the new day.

Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsanga described the pregnancies as a big problem in the education sector which needed a multi-sectoral approach for it to be solved.

Source: UGC

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On weekends, mothers have no time for their daughters. They are busy preparing for chamas (women merry go rounds), weddings and funerals. Therefore girls are left home and vulnerable to jobless boys in the village whose only activity is to drink cheap liquor and smoke bhang. Girls have no control over themselves as the society seems to have neglected them and left them in the hands of such men.

Very few parents are courageous enough to sit down their daughters and talk to them about the effects of engaging in early sexual activities. In fact, most parents tend to believe that it is the role of the teacher to talk to their children about this. It is a wrong perception though.

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Parents must be on the forefront in educating their children on the effects and consequences of involving themselves in early sex. In fact, it is not just about pregnancies but also STDs that can be prevented. Statistics show that teenagers are more vulnerable to sexually transmitted diseases than even married couples. This is because there is no one to talk to them about the problem.

In some cases, early pregnancies are as a result of poverty. For example in coastal towns of Kilifi and Kwale and in border towns of Busia, Malaba, Namanga as well as lakeside towns of Kisumu, Homabay and Migori girls are more vulnerable to early marriages because of their proximity to people from different cultures and backgrounds.

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Most girls fall prey to cheap monies offered by rich men whose only intention is to enjoy and satisfy their sexual urge without bothering to know if the girls are still in school or not. And some teachers too have the habit of luring their own pupils/students into having affairs with them. Many cases have been reported of teachers impregnating their own pupils. Just the other day, a head-teacher was arrested after eloping with his former pupil who sat her KCPE examination this year. Such cases are rampant.

In Bungoma this week, there was a story on a local television station of how primary school girls get impregnated and left just in the hands of their poor parents. Men waylay girls in the bushes, lure them with niceties and them sleep with them. The end result is unwanted/early pregnancies. This therefore becomes the problem of the parents.

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A lack of sex education to our children both at home and school is the major contributor to increasing cases of early pregnancies that have become a shame to the society and an affront to the promotion of girl child education. The girl child is over-exposed to uncaring men who don’t give a hoot about anything. Most of these men are hopeless and seem to have given up in life due to joblessness and lack of source of income. Impregnating a standard seven pupil to them is just like eating ugali with sukuma wiki, and life goes on.

Something needs to be done to protect our girls from pedophiles and village boys. Sex education in school is important. There should be set time on the school timetable where students/pupils are taught about dangers of early sex. Parents too must create time to be with their children and have a father-son to mother-daughter talk about the subject. This will save the girl-child from such embarrassment.

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