WHILE Zambia and the rest of the African continent battles to fight the HIV/AIDS epidemic, teenagers are becoming sexually active and promiscuous, long before the age of societal consent.

Other than total sexual abstinence, only condoms currently provide significant protection against HIV and other STIs, including unwanted pregnancies. That is why good sex education programmes should be introduced in all schools and in all homes.

While some people may argue that sex education encourages the youth to become sexually active at younger ages, research has shown that comprehensive sex and HIV/AIDS education programmes and condom availability programmes do not increase sexual activity and can be effective tools in reducing high-risk sexual behaviour among teenagers.

According to The World Health Organisation (WHO) study in the United States of America, sex and HIV/AIDS education neither increased nor decreased sexual activity and rates of pregnancy and STIs.

However, the study showed that in some states, sex education delayed the onset of sexual activity, reduced the number of sexual partners and reduced unplanned pregnancy and STI rates.

"I had heard a lot about sex before I finally did it when I turned 13, and I did not use a condom because I had been told that it was more exciting when one did it live. I have slept with other girls and have used condoms sometimes," said Mike Tesa, a 16-year-old pupil at one of the basic schools in Lusaka.

Schools and homes continue to shun the topic of sex because a lot of teachers and parents feel uncomfortable talking about sex while children continue to misinform each other.

National Victim Support Unit (VSU) national co-ordinator Peter Kanunka said it was paramount that schools provide the necessary information on sex as most parents were unable to discuss sexual issues with their children.

"Teachers should start discussing issues of sex with their pupils as early as grade five. We have heard cases where children as young as 12 are having sex," said Mr Kanunka.

He said that schools should incorporate behavioural goals, teaching methods, and materials that were appropriate to the age, sexual experience and culture of the students.

Mr Kanunka said that cases of early pregnancy and early sexual practices would reduce if parents and education boards took it upon themselves to educate teenagers on the dangers of early sex.

"Parents and education boards need to deliver and consistently reinforce a clear message about abstaining from sexual activities. These children need to have accurate information about the risks of teen sexual activity and about ways to avoid sexual intercourse at an early age," said Mr Kanunka.

Mrs Caroline Banda, a Lusaka resident and mother of four daughters, emphasised the need for parents to openly discuss sex as avoiding the issue was like sending their children to their early grave.

"Like many parents I felt very uncomfortable to talk to my children about sex until I asked myself what I would feel if one of my daughters got pregnant, or worse, contracted the HIV virus knowing I could have prevented it," said Mrs Banda.

She advised parents to create a conducive environment where children were free to ask questions without fear of being judged.

"We have a talk every Wednesday night. I let my daughters pick a topic to be discussed and let them ask questions and I try to offer answers and ask their thoughts on the topic. Not only am I teaching my daughters the values of life, I am also learning from them and at the same time creating a stronger bond. We have to teach our children that sex is never an emergency," she said.

Teaching Service acting commissioner Kashima Shayama said that the responsibility of educating and informing pupils of the dangers of early sexual activities did not only lie with Government but parents and guardians as well.

Dr Shayama said there was need for parents and teachers to discuss openly the issue of sex and teach the youth their values and stress the importance values played in their lives.

Times have changed, there were days when we lived with grandparents who were entrusted with the responsibility of educating our children about sex but not anymore.

"It is the duty of every parent to make sure that these children get accurate information from adults and not their peers," he said.

He appealed to headmasters to intensify sex education in schools as the situation currently was that there was more talk of HIV/AIDS than actual sex education.

"How can you talk about prevention of HIV/AIDS without talking about sex? Young people do not only need information on HIV/AIDS, they also need guidance on how to deal with peer pressure. Parents need to educate themselves and be willing to, even when uncomfortable, talk with their children about issues of sexuality, relationships and love," said Dr Shayama.

He advised parents to get involved and making sure that sex education was made a priority at the schools their children attended.

"Parents should actively support comprehensive sexuality education in schools, they can go a step further and encourage their first communities to offer sex education for young people," said Dr Shayama.

And 17-year-old Pamela, who has a two-year-old baby boy, wishes her parents had openly discussed the issues of sex with her.

"The only thing I knew about it at the time was that it was something that most of my friends were doing.

My boyfriend and I discussed doing it and we agreed that he would wear a condom and he did but somehow I ended up getting pregnant at 16 years old," said Pamela.

Pamela said her parents were now more open and often discussed sexual-related matters with her siblings but regretted that their decision had come when it was too late for her.

In his book A Chickens Guide to Talking Turkey to Kids About Sex, Christian Psychologist Kelvin Leman urges parents to be open and honest when talking to their children about sex.

He says that parents should be able to talk to their children about sex but be mindful and keep reminding them that the only place that sex is allowed is in the confines of marriage.

Dr Leman says that he understands that most parents are still very uncomfortable talking to their children about issues relating to sex but adds that parents have a choice to either let their children learn about sex through filthy illicit sex television programmes and magazines or to help them understand the beauty of sex when done in the manner in which it was intended, which is in marriage.

He urges fathers to be in the forefront and take the initiative of educating their daughters on the dangers of sex as no one is more qualified to teach them about the way men should treat them other than their own fathers.

He says that it is not enough for parents to only give information but also important that they become role models by maintaining good marriages, which will help their children understand sex better.

It is true that when young people feel connected to schools, communities and the family and have access to sexual health information and services, they are better able to delay sexual initiation.

The youth have rights to accurate, balanced sex education, including information about contraception and condoms.

Youths can be trusted to behave responsibly when given accurate information and confidential health services.

Source: AllAfrica.com