Teen pregnancy high in Mfantseman, Gomoa

Teenage pregnancy continues to be a major problem facing adolescents in Mfantseman and Gomoa districts despite some measures put in place to curb it.

28 girls in Mfantseman who registered for the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) could not write their papers as a result of pregnancy. Three of the six girls who mustered courage to write the examination brought forth during the process.

The District Chief Executive, Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur expressed disappointment about the situation and blamed it on lack of parental control.

Mr Quainoo-Arthur attributed the problem to a break-down in "our extended family system which has made others not to care to correct children of other family members when they find them going astray."

The District Director of Education, Miss Vivian Etroo, said a "time with grandma," a programme introduced by Ghana Health Service to make adolescents to seek guidance from selected mentors and Plan Ghana's camp meetings for girls and other programmes could not turn the tide.

She said: "I thought my presence in the district as a director of education will make girls see me as a role model and aspire to higher academic laurels."

The situation was not different in Gomoa whose director of education is also a woman.

Source: GNA