Teenage pregnancy is scourge we must end

Tanzania is among countries with the highest number of teenage pregnancies in the world, according to a research conducted by Plan International Tanzania.

Statistics sourced from the organisation indicate that between 2006 and 2009, a total of 16,999 girls in primary and secondary schools across the country dropped out of school due to pregnancy.

This is why we support the decision by the Japanese Embassy to release $97,000 (Sh209.52 million) for the construction of a hostel for female students at Sizaki Secondary School in Bunda District, Mara Region.

In Mara, like in other regions around the country, many girls often drop out of school not only due to their understandable dislike of the risky long walk to school, but also due to the fear of falling into the trap of crooked men who lure into unprotected sex.

As opposed to the past, with the advances in technology and access to the Internet and TV, children are more likely start having sex at an early age.

Teen pregnancy is both a public health and education problem. In Tanzania, the gravity of this problem varies from one region to another.

In 2006, for instance, about 400 schoolgirls became pregnant in Mtwara Region, according to a study conducted by the Unicef.

In the same year, 200 young girls dropped out of school in Rukwa Region because of pregnancy.

In Tanzania, girls face several obstacles in their pursuit of education. In addition to wrong notions on the value of educating girls, some discriminatory policies and practices undermine their access to education. Pregnant girls are routinely expelled from school while their culpable partners remain untouched.

Such girls end up leaving home to venture into towns in search of work to fend for themselves and their “fatherless” offspring. We shouldn’t allow such waste of our own just because they were born girls.

REKINDLE FAITH IN POLICE

Residents of Siha District in Kilimanjaro Region have been told to avoid killing the suspects they apprehend. The so-called mob justice—which is wholly illegal—has often led to the death of innocent people.

A 45-year-old Karansi Village residents in Siha, Abedi Akyoo, died after being savagely beaten by youths who accused him of theft. That is ending the life of a fellow human over mere allegations!

The questions are: why should some otherwise law-abiding citizens take the law into their own hands, while there are law enforcers? Have the people lost faith in our police?

There are indications that some among us believe the police condone crime, more so when they see known criminals roam freely in neighbourhoods.

The combination of a perceived increase in crime and in personal insecurity has been matched by an increase in private policing. When the justice system is seen as corrupt, inefficient, ineffective or too soft, people are likely to decide to sort out culprits “personally”.

Our law enforces need to demonstrate to the law-abiding citizens that they don’t go to bed with criminals. That way, wananchi will heed the call of leaders like the Sanya Juu councillor Juma Jani who has called on his people to shun lynching of suspects.