The Catholic Church is calling on parents in Kilifi County and the society at large to join hands in fighting against social ills like teenage pregnancies among school children.
Rev. Fr. Albert Buijs the Diocesan Administrator of the Catholic Diocese of Malindi said the country and Kilifi county in particular was facing many challenges among children including teenage pregnancies, drug trafficking among others.
Speaking during a graduation ceremony for students at Pope Francis Xavier Catholic Institute on Friday, Fr. Buijs said people need to come together to fight against the evil vices.
He asked the graduates also to take the leading role in helping sensitize the community so as to prevent the cases of early sex that contribute to teenage pregnancy and early marriages.
“The Institute’s aim is to empower students with education because many children have problems of early marriages and drugs; therefore the graduates need to help in the fight against these verse’’ he said.
In her remarks, Ms.Cynthia Janja the Director of Brighton College in Malindi said Kilifi county has had serious problems of teenage pregnancies which were a threat to the young generation.
She hailed the graduates for working hard to complete their courses in the area which has challenges particularly on the girl child due to early marriages.
Janja said she always motivate girls to work hard and desist from engaging in early sexual behaviors that could affect their future.
She asked local leaders including Members of county assembly and Members of Parliament to sponsor students including those who did not complete secondary education so as to acquire skills.
Samuel Okuthe, the Principal of Machakos Institute of Technology who was the chief guest in the ceremony called on the graduates to take advantage of completion of their courses as a first step towards achieving their goals in life.
Kilifi County has had challenges in teenage pregnancy and recently made headlines after reports emerged there were over 13,000 school girls who were expectant.
By Simon Guruba
