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School children at a vuzu party in this file photo. Some adolescents end up taking drugs, engaging in criminal activities, drinking alcohol in a bid to please others and at times just to be popular. This is termed “popularity neurosis”

Gender, Vaidah Mashangwa
Besides their physical appearance, most adolescents experience strong sexual drive and some are eager to try sexual intercourse

The Herald on November 22, 2016, carried a story quoting the Minister of Primary and Secondary Education Dr Lazarus Dokora saying that 4 500 pupils both boys and girls had dropped out of school due to pregnancy.

There, of course, are other reasons such as death, expulsion, illness, abscondment and financial constraints that led to the children dropping out of school. While there are more girls than boys dropping out of schools, trends show that even the boys are also dropping out of school to be fathers.

The main problem with adolescents is that they spend most of their time examining themselves psychologically and physically. The adolescents spend most of their time on the mirror trying to reflect on their physical appearance.

It is surprising how girls spend a considerable amount of time combing their hair into various styles, trying different postures and worrying about pimples and their complexion. Adolescents feel that they are special and that no one feels the same. Adolescents think that everyone looks at them critically all the time hence they are particular about their dressing and behavior. Above all, the adolescents are full of self-admiration.

Besides their physical appearance, most adolescents experience strong sexual drive and some are eager to try sexual intercourse.

According to research, many adolescents start engaging in sexual activities at the age of 16 years on a regular or occasional basis. Evidence shows that after puberty though, boys engage more in sexual activities than girls and with more partners. This exposes the boy or girl child to diseases such as syphilis, gonorrhea, incurable genital herpes and HIV and Aids.

As is the case with school children, the other significant result of early sexual engagement is unplanned and unwanted pregnancies which in many African countries including Zimbabwe has led to termination of the girl child’s education and consequently the loss of a bright future for her. At times the boy has no potential of marrying the affected girl. The other problem is that the chances of the same girl marrying again are very slim.

In many instances, the parents may also reject the affected girl child and she may end up seeking refuge elsewhere especially from relatives. This generally affects the growth of the child as well as that of the young mother.

It is very unfortunate that while this is happening the young man usually continues with his education and might even continue with his irresponsible behaviour with other girls.

It is unfortunate too for the children born out of such unions as they are affected too, socially, morally and economically. While there is a likelihood of adolescents engaging in sexual activities on their own, some girls also engage in sexual intercourse with older men and they are later usually dumped when they fall pregnant as the men attempt to protect and save their own marriages.

While free contraceptives are available, most adolescents cannot negotiate for safe sex and some believe that at certain times of the month it is safe to engage in unprotected sex without risking pregnancy and some believe that the use of condoms is unappealing and spoils the intimate feelings for each other. At times the adolescents do not believe that pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases can also happen to them. Adolescents should be aware that the Aids pandemic is clear evidence that a moment of pleasure is not worth a possible death sentence.

The social media has also greatly affected how adolescents view sex. Adolescents nowadays like to give the impression that they know quite a lot about sex.

At times it is out of peer pressure and they share and view pornographic material. Evidence shows that adolescents have very limited knowledge on birth control. It is a great problem when school children become more interested in money, sex and luxury at the expense of education.

Conformity to peer pressure in adolescents is reflected in dressing, hair styles, food and vocabulary which matters most to them. Quite a number of children have fallen into this trap where possessions and looks take a precedence.

Some adolescents end up taking drugs, engaging in criminal activities, drinking alcohol in a bid to please others and at times just to be popular.

This is termed “popularity neurosis”.

The new curriculum now offers a wide range of learning areas for learners such as visual and performing arts, family heritage studies, foreign languages, ICTs, indigenous languages, mass displays, agriculture and it is hoped that this will help every learner to identify areas of interest and may assist to ensure that learners pursue careers of their choices.

The writer can be contacted on 0772 111 592 or email [email protected]