AT an Arbor Week celebration, coupled with a teenage pregnancy awareness campaign at Ekupheleni High School in KwaMthethwa, pupils were discouraged from engaging in under-age sexual practices, substance abuse and the carrying of weapons to school.
Championed by the geography and agricultural science pupils, and supported by the uMfolozi Municipality, the occasion began with the planting of trees in the school yard to celebrate Arbor Day.
Thereafter guest speakers addressed issues such as unprotected sex which resulted in under-age pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, school drop-out and other social problems.
According to 2013 national statics, more than 99 000 schoolgirls fell pregnant in KZN, with Ekupheleni showing the highest number of pregnancies in the district.
HIV/Aids was highlighted as a major problem facing the school, as many of its pupils have fallen prey to the epidemic.
Acting school Principal Mr Molefe said the problem was that many children are from poor family backgrounds, some of whom are from child-headed households.
‘Most of my more than 1 000 pupils are from single parent families facing financial stress,’ said Molefe.
Despite having such a large number of pupils, all squashed into 17 classrooms and taught by 33 teachers, Molefe said his poorly resourced school has done very well in matric over the years, having attained a 73% pass rate in 2014.
