Sunday Times news paper carried an article entitled "Teachers dish out condoms as young as nine," (June 10 2012). Through this article, an impression may have been created that the Department of Education in the province has no policy regarding distribution of condoms to schools.
As a department, we do have a policy that states clearly that School Governing Body (as parents representatives) in consultation with the school, can decided (when they see a need) to distribute condoms to schools. This policy states that this decision needs to be minuted for record keeping.
According to this policy, distribution of condoms to schools must be accompanied by sexual education done mainly by Life Orientation educators. This policy is informed by a need to prevent sexual transmitted diseases as well as learner pregnancy where risky sexual behavior has been detected. It is therefore important, for all educators and school governing body members in the Province to familiarise themselves with this policy.
The Sunday Times also reported that learners are made to queue and sign a register when receiving condoms this account is not accurate. Condoms are placed at strategic areas where learners can pick them without having to sign any register. However, we want to warn educators against careless distribution of condoms. All schools that distribute condoms must do it in accordance with the policy and guidelines as stated above.
It is department policy for educators to refrain from speaking to the media, as some of their utterances, which are sometimes inaccurate, can, put the department into disrepute. The department has a directorate of communications and publication that is mandated and skilled to respond to media queries and are statutory authorised to maintain media relations. No department official and educators are allowed to speak to the media on departmental matters. The directorate will be responsible to respond.
As a Department of Education in KwaZulu-Natal, we are worried about the rate of learner pregnancy. This is why in May last year we introduced a campaign called My Life My Future. This campaign is in response to social ills that militates against our core business which is teaching and learning.
Through My Life, My Future campaign, our main objective is to fight social maladies like learner pregnancy, drugs and substance abuse by learners as well as carrying of dangerous weapons and violence in schools.
It goes without saying, that without the support of communities, this campaign cannot have maximum impact, which is why we appeal to communities to join with us in fighting these social ills.
Much as teaching and learning is our core function, we realize that schools are a microcosm of societies in which they are located, therefore it is our duty to fight all kinds of social ills, thereby creating a favorable environment for quality teaching and learning to take place in our province.
For more information:Muzi Mahlambi
Cell: 082 519 1420
Sihle Mlotshwa
Cell: 072 207 2018
