Students in Gulu are demanding for condoms to be availed at school as the only way to avoid early pregnancy, Sexually transmitted diseases like HIV and them dropping out of school.
During a debate organized by Uganda debaters association, Gulu District Local Government and various Non Governmental Organizations held at the district council hall, the students debated about the importance of introducing condoms in schools.
A female student reasoned that, “When condoms are introduced in schools, it will help in reducing school drop-outs from school due to unwanted pregnancy and HIV/AIDS infection.”
Her counterpart from another secondary school however said there was no way that the ministry of health will distribute condoms to secondary schools without adequate information from the district health officers.
He says that condom use is only 98 percent able to prevent HI/AIDS yet abstinence is 100 percent.
Sir Samuel Baker School won the debate.
The district health Educator Gulu, Mr. Celestino Ojok also concurred with the students saying, “It’s high time they face the facts as it very hard for somebody to Abstain continuously. There should be an alternative and that is condom use.”
He said, “It’s very difficult to introduce such topics to teachers and in schools but the fact is HIV/AIDS infection is so high in the district which needs combined prevention methods.”
Ojok says that HIV/AIDs infection in the district is above national average which is at 7.7 percent yet national average is at 7.2 percent revealing that prevalence is much higher among women which is at 5.4 percent and less among men at 2.4.
He says that new infection per year stands at 127,000 people contracting the virus.
Revealing that research further shows that 39 percent of young people aged between 15-24, don’t know facts and knowledge how HIV can be prevented, and continued that stigma and discrimination under mines national prevention of HIV.
The District Education Officer, Reverend Vincent Ocheng notes that students are going to be involved in more debates about HIV/AIDS prevention and control.
He says that as fighting HIV intensifies in lower levels of education, at higher institutions and universities there is little being done to create awareness and in most times students end up getting infected with the virus.
1 Comment
Students should focus on hard work at all levels of Education for a better future job opportunity.
HIV/Aids is currently the killer of Acholi Sub-Region People.We need to campaign through our Cultural Heritage to inform ,Educate ,prevent and provide treatment.
The long term poor condition of living standard in the IDP’s has left the Community with the high infection rate,the Students may needs condoms but it is a lot better if they turn to faith and allow their sisters to abstain from sex until they complete Education.The Girls will be mature enough to get into marriage and Parents feels proud of the Customary marriage or Church Wedding.