Fatimah (seated centre) is seen during a photo call with programme coordinators.
KAPIT: A total of 145 teen pregnancies were recorded in Kapit Division this year up till last month.
Minister of Welfare, Women and Family Development Datuk Fatimah Abdullah said in 2013 there were 373 cases, while 276 cases were recorded last year.
From that figure, 43.5 per cent of the teen mothers were unmarried, 57.6 per cent aged 10 to 17, while 99.9 per cent either dropped out of school or never attended school.
She explained that the programme ‘I’m In Control: Cakna Diri Remaja Modul Sarawak’ would empower teenagers with knowledge of the risks and issues related to teen pregnancies.
“When they get pregnant and stop schooling, what happens to their future? What happens to the child when it is born at such a tender age? Jobless and they’re mentally not fit and ready to be mothers, socially and emotionally not prepared to be mothers yet and to be fathers. Even if they get married, the marriage doesn’t last and after a few years they get divorced. Divorce means another social problem,” she said during the programme’s launch here on Wednesday.
Fatimah said the pre-emptive programme aims to educate teens on healthy relationships so that they are “in control of their social lives and their future and education”.
Under the One-Stop Teenage Pregnancy Committee (OSTPC), the Health Department would provide holistic support for teen mothers during pregnancy and after giving birth; while the Welfare Department, Education Department, National Registration Department and state Islamic Religious Department (Jais) would also give support, she said.
“For example, this girl wants to go to school but she doesn’t want to go back to the old school, she wants to go to another school. Then the Education Department can straight away follow up so that this girl can be transferred to another school.
“Through this inter-agency cooperation, this committee is able to provide very fast support system and it’s the holistic kind,” she said.
Fatimah added that problems such as teenage pregnancy have to be tackled by providing a very good support system.
“Last time we just blamed the girl but now we can’t say that. What do we gain by blaming? This thing has happened and this is what we need to do. At the same time, we must also carry out preventive action,” she said.
Some 200 students and teachers attended the one-day programme.