Parents urged to take responsibility for sex education

 Dr Francis Wuobar, A Gynaecologist at the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua, has urged parents to take the lead in providing sex educa­tion to their children, stressing that they were in the best position to guide them through the changes of adoles­cence.

According to him, sex education remained a taboo subject in most Ghanaian homes, a culture that must change to prevent children from seek­ing misleading information elsewhere.

“With the evolving nature of soci­ety and technological advancements, today’s children will either learn about sex on the internet or from their peers, who may offer wrong advice,” he cautioned.

Dr Wuobar noted that the health sys­tem and society often concentrate on the reproductive stage of life, neglect­ing the adolescent and menopaus­al phases.

“When a woman reaches the reproductive period and gets pregnant, everyone rallies around her. But before that stage, during adolescence, there is little attention and guidance, which has con­tributed to the rising cases of teenage pregnancy,” he explained.

He further observed that many adolescents lack access to counselling and adoles­cent clinics, creating a vacuum that forces them to explore on their own.

“The answers they seek, adults and par­ents are not willing to provide. Their peers, who are equally unin­formed, become their only source of advice. This exploration is one of the major contribu­tors to teenage preg­nancy,” he elaborated.

Dr Wuobar, therefore, called on parents to cre­ate open and confi­dential spaces for discussion, where children can freely ask questions about sex, puberty, and relationships.

Moreover, he emphasised that par­ents must help adolescents understand the consequences of unprotected sex, the changes they go through, and what choices were right or wrong.

“Today’s generation is curious and asks questions, unlike in the past when children were silent. Parents should not rebuke them but rather engage them seriously and guide them through this turbulent stage,” he advised.

He again appealed to the health sec­tor to establish more adolescent clin­ics across the country to give young people safe spaces to seek information and counselling.

That, he emphasised, would help reduce the high incidence of teenage pregnancy and support adolescents in making informed decisions about their sexual health.

•  
•  From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Koforidua

Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27