Nsawam, May 23, GNA - Despite the huge investment in educating school children to avoid premarital sex in order not to contract Sexually Transmitted Infections (STI) including HIV/AIDS, there is evidence that some pupils in Akuapem South District are engaging in unprotected sex.

For instance, it had been found out that at the Djankrom Methodist Junior Secondary School, Nsawam, six girls got pregnant this year. Most of them were found to be from broken homes where the parents lacked effective control over their children.

This came to light at a one-day workshop organized for School Health Education Programme (SHEP) co-ordinators from the Akuapem South District by the Youth Assistant Mission (YAM), a non-governmental organisation based at Nsawam at the weekend.

Mr Rex Baah-Antiri, the Eastern Regional Guidance and Counselling Officer, said the expected sexual behavioural change among the youth had not been achieved because adults had not set the right life examples for the children to follow.

He said adults had not been factual about issues related to sexuality and appealed to parents to stop covering up and have time to talk to their children about dangers of the HIV/AIDS and allow the children to ask question about their sexuality. Mr Adjei Addoquaye, the Executive Chairman of YAM, appealed to the SHEP Co-ordinators to continue with the campaign against the HIV/AIDS in schools.

Mr Kofi Bekoe, an HIV-positive patient, appealed to religious organizations to support people living with HIV and to join the campaign against stigmatisation.