Education officials wanted to give pupils condoms at School the parents said no!

WHEN education officials wanted to give pupils condoms the parents said no!

But they changed their minds when 35 Nomathiya Technical High School girls got pregnant, 17 of them in matric.

The parents in Mtubatuba’s BaSwazini, in northern KZN, said they had tried in vain to keep their daughters from becoming pregnant.

“We called pastors to pray for our children, and organisations came to school for awareness campaigns,” said one parent. “But it didn’t help!”

Local committee member Bhekuyise Shandu (64) said they had held all sorts of meetings to find a solution.

“This is tragic,” said Shandu. “At first I didn’t agree with condoms at school – but now I surrender.

“I realise we need them. We want to see if they bring a solution,” said Shandu.

School governing body chairman Jabu Ngubane (55) said pupils were having sex at the school.

“If one gets pregnant, others get jealous and fall pregnant too.

“It’s very embarrassing. But we are without ideas now. That is why we want to try condoms,” said Jabu.

KZN Education spokesman Muzi Mahlambi said that officials would meet parents, but pregnant pupils had to write their exams.

“The chief invigilators must know how many months a pregnant pupil is and ask a nurse to be on standby at the school during exams.

“Those who are heavily pregnant must have transport on standby,” he said.