Alex secondary school children took their destiny into their own hands through a pledge to achieve a 100 percent pass rate and zero teenage pregnancies this school year.
The pledge, made at SanKopano Community Centre and facilitated by NPO Lifeline in partnership and supported by other service providers, came about due the concern about the high rate of pregnancy and poor school performances by local school children.
Pupils of Alex High, Minerva, Pholosho, Realogile, Eastbank, Kwa-Bhekilanga, Sandown and Marlboro secondary schools made the commitment.
Here is what they plan for their education:
- Set and work towards a vision of good school performance
- Listen to their inner voice of advice against negative things which could derail their vision
- Love, concentrate on and seek help on their school work
- Adopt a positive mindset towards education
- Listen more and talk less in the classroom
- Associate with friends with positive attitudes towards life and education
- Not compare themselves to others who may be from well-to-do backgrounds
- Form study groups
- Understand their weaknesses and work to improve on their positive aspects
- Study daily to be better and more enlightened persons the following day
- Make education fun in order to understand it better.
To achieve zero percent teenage pregnancies pupils will:
- Focus on school work and say no to sex
- Remain conscious of the disastrous effect of early sexual acts on one’s life and future
- Resist a temptation to indulge in sex brought about by peer pressure
- Respect their bodies and education
- If need be, only engage in protected sex
- Abide by the saying, books before sex because boys bring babies
- Discipline themselves and be patient, as good things will always come
- Engage in sports to improve mental concentration and physical health, rather than in sex
- Have a desire to make their parents proud.
Alex police urged the children to abide by their pledges and said this would make the police’s work easier. “We currently handle 20 cases of children-related misdemeanours which disadvantage them through lost school hours,” said Constable Idah Morovhi.
“Some could lead to arrests and possible expulsion from school. If any case is found to be serious, they also could be imprisoned.”
Details: Lifeline 011 443 3555.
