KENYA: CHRISTIAN CHURCHES FORCE MOI TO SHELVE SEX EDUCATION PROGRAM

NAIROBI, Dic 18 (IPS) - KENYAN PRESIDENT DANIEL MOI HAS BUCKLED UNDER PRESSURE FROM CATHOLIC AND PROTESTANT CHURCHES AND CANCELED THE SEX EDUCATION PROGRAM HE HAD SUCCESSFULLY PUSHED THROUGH LAST WEEK.

"I WILL NOT AGREE TO THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAMME IF CHURCHES ARE OPPOSED TO THE PLAN," MOI SAID THIS WEEK, PRE- EMPTING THE CATHOLIC CHURCH'S COUNTRY-WIDE CAMPAIGN AGAINST THE PROGRAMME.

MOI'S STATEMENT DIRECTLY CONTRADICTS THE RECENT REASSURANCE OF VICE PRESIDENT GEORGE SAITOTI THAT THE 1.9 MILLION U.S. DOLLAR SEX EDUCATION AND POPULATION STUDIES PROGRAMME WOULD BE IMPLEMENTED AS PLANNED.

SAITOTI HAD MADE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AT A CEREMONY MARKING THE 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE UNITED NATIONS POPULATION FUND (UNFPA) AND ITS 20-YEARS OF ASSISTANCE TO KENYA.

WITH 26 MILLION PEOPLE AND AN ANNUAL BIRTH RATE OF 3.5 PERCENT, KENYA'S POPULATION IS EXPECTED TO DOUBLE BY THE YEAR 2000. THE PROGRAMME, AIMED AT UPPER PRIMARY SCHOOLS, WAS DESIGNED TO TEACH STUDENTS ABOUT BOTH CONTRACEPTION AND POPULATION ISSUES.

BUT KENYA'S CATHOLIC BISHOPS EFFECTIVELY BLOCKED THE PROJECT. "WE WILL FIGHT MORE THAN EVER BEFORE TO OPPOSE THIS IMMORAL SUBJECT WHICH RUINS OUR CHILDREN," THE BISHOPS SAID IN A COLLECTIVE STATEMENT. THEY ADVOCATE THAT PARENTS AND FAMILIES SHOULD DECIDE HOW TO APPROACH THE SUBJECT.

MINISTRY OF EDUCATION STATISTICS, HOWEVER, HIGHLIGHT THE FACT THAT THE TRADITIONAL WAY OF LEARNING ABOUT SEX AND RESPONSIBILITY -- FROM AUNTS AND UNCLES -- IS NO LONGER RELIABLE. MORE THAN 10,000 GIRLS DROP OUT OF SCHOOL EACH YEAR AFTER BECOMING PREGNANT, THE MINISTRY CLAIMS.

A RECENT SURVEY ALSO REVEALED THAT MOST YOUNG GIRLS DON'T EVEN KNOW WHERE MENSTRUAL BLOOD COMES FROM, LET ALONE HOW TO PREVENT PREGNANCIES.

A GROUP OF CONCERNED PARENTS SIDED WITH THE BISHOPS AND PROTESTED THE GOVERNMENT'S SEX EDUCATION PLAN. IN A LETTER TO SILMA LESRIMA, THE PERMANENT SECRETARY OF EDUCATION, THE PARENTS SAID THEY "COULD NOT, WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE, KEEP QUIET WHEN A PLAN TO DESTROY OUR CHILDREN IS BEING HATCHED. WE STRONGLY CONDEMN AND REJECT THE INTRODUCTION OF SEX EDUCATION AND CALL FOR A TOTAL WITHDRAWAL OF THE PROGRAMME."

© Inter Press Service (2014) — All Rights Reserved. Original source: Inter Press Service

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