Vwegba Blogging World

The department of basic education in South Africa has made available condom vending machines in some schools in a bid to decrease teenage pregnancies and the incidence of HIV/Aids. The provision of condoms is one of the services offered in a programme targeting adolescent girls and young women aged 10 to 19. Working with the department of health, the programme provides a range of services, including HIV testing, emergency contraception when a child is raped, and screening, investigation and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. Granville Whittle, one of the department’s deputy directors-general, told parliament on Tuesday during a briefing on teenage pregnancies that the programme also provides support for teen parents on how they can take care of their babies. “Girls don’t drop out because they fall pregnant; they fall pregnant because they dropped out and so schooling is a protective factor,” said Whittle. “We don’t deny services to boys coming forward to say they want access...