MANILA – To curb the increasing number of teenage pregnancy in the country, National Youth Commission chairperson Ryan Enriquez is proposing a separate class sections for male and female students in grades 7 to 12.
Enriquez said in a television interview that separate classrooms could be a remedy as many grade school students already have girlfriends and boyfriends.
“Maraming mga grade school pa lang, mag-girlfriend at boyfriend sila dahil magkaklase sila. At kung meron silang activity na magsasama sila sa isang bahay, doon nangyayari, pwedeng maging teenage mother agad-agad,” Enriquez said.
“If boys and girls were assigned to separate class sections; ‘pag project di sila magkasama, kung may pinapagawa ang teacher nila di nila kailangan mag-overnight para matapos ang project,” he added.
Based on the data from the Commission on Population (POPCOM) last July, some 196,000 Filipinos between the ages of 15 and 19 years old get pregnant each year.
The rate of HIV incidence among 15 to 24-year-olds, meanwhile, nearly doubled from 17 percent in 2000 to 29 percent in 2009, the NYC said, quoting data from the health department.
Last June, there were 1,006 new HIV cases, of which 52 percent was from the 25 to 34 age bracket, while 29 percent was from the 15 to 24 age bracket, said the NYC. (With ABS-CBN News/PN)
