Cape Town - School children as young as nine could be given condoms as part of a government move to teach sex education in schools.
The proposal has drawn outrage from children support groups, who criticised it as a “hamfisted” attempt to come to terms with the scourge of teenage pregnancies and teachers preying on pupils, especially in poorer schools.
The proposals, gazetted this week, involve offering condoms to kids in Grades 7 to 12.
Younger children in Grades 4 to 6, who would be aged nine to 12, would be given condoms “where required”.
There would also be mandatory sex education for primary and high school pupils.
Mobile clinics will visit schools so that teachers and pupils can be tested voluntarily for HIV, sexually transmitted diseases and TB.
Interested parties like churches, parents, schools and children’s rights activists now have 21 days to respond.
Basic Education Department spokesman Elijah Mhlanga said the Aids pandemic called for drastic measures.
Mhlanga said: “This is a matter of life and death, so we are not going to dilly-dally and waste time.”
Daily Voice