Teenage Pregnancy

But when a report pinned Britain’s highest teenage pregnancy rate in Europe to what it claimed was “too little sex education”, it triggered a howl of protests.

It is amazing, but can anyone honestly believe that teenagers are getting pregnant and contracting venereal diseases because they don’t know the causes or preventive methods?

Apparently, a group of so-called do-gooders believe so. And they are pressing for compulsory sex and relationship lessons throughout every pupil’s time at school.

According to local media reports, the UK Youth Parliament claimed that half the young people here have not been taught about teenage pregnancy and wouldn’t know where to find their local sexual health clinic.

These figures, the group contended, were from its survey of over 20 000 teenagers and might well explain the high rates of pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases in the country.

Admittedly, many youngsters may be unaware of the location of their local sexual health clinics. But that doesn’t mean they have no inkling at all about sex.

In fact, time and again, they have been taught about the subject, complete with step-by-step demonstrations and detailed leaflets, whether their families like it or not.

For some, it can be boring and embarrassing enough to have to put up with being lectured about sex all day at school.
And very often, it is the same old stuff – gonorrhea, syphilis, condoms and HIV – with lots of giggling and red faces all round.