‘Moral decay in youths worrying’

Michell Zvanyanya, Chronicle Reporter 

The Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council (ZNFPC) has expressed concern over continuous loss of moral values among youths in schools deemed to be safe zones, saying there is need to intensify moral and life skills education in the institutions. 

Moral decay among youths has led to an increase in incidents of teenage pregnancies and drug abuse. 

The recently-released Zimbabwe Demographic Health Survey (ZDHS) reveals that in Zimbabwe teenage pregnancies are at 21 percent. Youths who usually organise the infamous vuzu parties during school holidays at which they drink alcohol, abuse drugs and engage in risky sexual behaviour have become a cause for concern to the police and members of the public. 

In a statement, ZNFPC Marketing and Communications Officer, Mr Mission Gwafa said there is need for comprehensive sexual and life skills education in schools to reduce moral decay among youths. 

He said moral education will help develop social and self-management skills which will allow them to make rational decisions about their sexuality and life. 

“Some plain reality and truth within our society is that in our endeavour to educate our children for professional success, we are neglecting to prepare each generation for the extremely difficult decisions they have to face outside their academic life. In essence, we all have two lives that is professional and personal lives. It seems as if our educational system today emphasises more on preparation for the former, yet what is hastily neglected yet desperately needed is a steadfast focused attention on personal life,” said Mr Gwafa.

 “In their academic career, children are offered a diverse menu of subjects and courses in topics ranging from languages, finance, environmental protection and mechanics to dinosaur history. They also have the opportunity to sing, dance, debate and engage in sporting events but how many times, are they engaged in discussions about potential life decisions outside of the career realm that help develop their social and self-management skills.”

 “What will it benefit an individual, the family or the nation to have graduates without morals, values and principles and who because of their behaviour could possibly be HIV positive or drug addicts by the time they finish school?”

He urged parents to create a foundation of healthy sexual and life skills education at home by being the key instructors. 

“Such life skills training is not the responsibility of our academic institutions only but ideally families and communities should prioritise these kinds of discussions. Let us all work together (schools, parents, government, organisations, churches) to save the lives of our future generation,” he said. 

He appealed to the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education to engage specialist organisations who are into life skills programming to offer services in schools in line with the guidance and counselling requirements.

“I kindly implore all schools administrators, district schools inspectors, concerned Government Ministries and departments, concerned parents, youth serving organisations and churches to refocus and try to address the core and basic issues before we lose our future generation. These children are exposed to negative pressures such as sex, drugs and alcohol ranging from lack of parental guidance to the negative effects of technology and really need our guidance in every step of life,” said Mr Gwafa. — michellzvanyanyan2.