The government has started several sex education programs with supports of nonprofit organizations in the country to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancies.
Tanzania ranks top in the world in terms of adolescent pregnancy and birth rates.
Under the newly launched sex education programs the teenaged schoolgirls and schoolboys is said to be getting briefings about the dos and donts in sex and sexuality. It will address unwanted pregnancies and also to promote responsible and safe sex. Teenaged schoolboys and schoolgirls can openly discuss about the topic and to learn how to use contraceptives.
United Nations Population Fund report in 2013 revealed about 8,000 girls in the country leave school each year due to pregnancy. This results with limitations of their education and employment opportunities. For the nation as a whole, the economic lose is about 8.5 trillion shillings ($5.2 billion) a year.
The Ministry of Education and Vocational Training of the country is reported to be placing the peer education programs in secondary schools across Tanzania. It will focus in helping the teenaged students to be equipped with necessary life skills as well as good knowledge about how to make appropriate decisions.
Funding for the program is said to be made from the Swedish Development Agency, which is an association of female lawyers in the country dubbed as TAWLA.
As of now there are eight sexual and reproductive health clubs in secondary schools set up by TAWLA to provide training to teachers in helping out the schoolgirls on such related issues.
