NGO Introduces Debating Competition To Sensitize SHS Students On Reproductive Health

Global Media Foundation, (GLOMEF), human rights and anti-corruption media advocacy organization, has introduced regional debating competition as a platform to sensitize Senior High Schools (SHS) students in the Brong-Ahafo Region on sexual reproductive health and other related adolescent issues.

The move to help empower adolescent especially girls to easily access family planning as a means of controlling teenage pregnancy and unsafe abortion.

The maiden edition of the competition which is on-going and has reached quarter-final level involved 16 senior high schools in eight districts in the Brong-Ahafo region.

The competing schools are Bomaa SHS, Serwaa Kesse SHS, Koase Senior High and Technical School, Wenchi SHS, Sunyani SHS, Twene Amanfo Senior High and Technical School.

Others are, Our Lady of Providence SHS, Odumaseman SHS, Chiraa SHS, Kintampo SHS, Techiman SHS, Ekumfi Ameyaw SHS, Salvation Army SHS, Drobo SHS and Dormaa SHS.

Mr. Raphael Godlove Ahenu, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GLOMEF, announced at a debating competition between Wenchi SHS and Koase Senior High and Technical School on Thursday at Wenchi.

Wenchi SHS Debating Club which spoke against the motion “Legalizing Abortion is the Surest Way of Ensuring Safe Motherhood” scored 47.8 marks to emerge first while Koase SHS had 30.5 marks.

Wenchi SHS has therefore booked its place for the Semi-final along side with Serwaa Kesse SHS at Duayaw-Nkwanta in the Tano North District .

Mr. Ahenu noted that because of the societal myth associated with family planning and sexual reproductive health, many adolescent girls always felt shy to access and use contraceptives.

He said teenage pregnancy had ruined the future of many promising young girls in Brong-Ahafo, adding that many of them had also ended up in various health complications because of unsafe abortion.

Ms Yaa Asantewaa, a public health nurse at the Yawhima Health Centre in the Sunyani Municipality, said denying adolescent boys and girls sex education was against their sexual right

She observed that teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections were rife in the Region because most of the young adults engaged in unprotected sex.

She therefore advised parents to encourage especially their adolescent girls who could not abstain from pre-marital sex to opt for family planning services.