The number of teenage pregnancies in the Ohangwena Region is alarming.

Authorities report over 9,000 cases between January 2022 and April this year.

These girls were all under the age of 19.

The rather disturbing statistics were revealed by the Minister of Gender Equality, Poverty Eradication, and Social Welfare, Doreen Sioka, at the commemoration of the Day of the African Child at Nghifikwa Ndailikana Primary School in Ohangwena.

"It is utterly unacceptable that so many young girls are seeing their futures compromised by early pregnancies. Therefore, it is binding upon all of us - the government, parents, communities, and educational leaders - to join forces and address this challenge head-on. We must prioritize raising awareness about the risks associated with teenage pregnancy and provide support to vulnerable young people."

UNICEF's Country Representative, Samuel Ocran, pointed out the importance of not leaving the boy child behind in the empowerment of the girl child.

"As a country, we are faced with a major crisis in education - boys dropping out of schools. This should be a concern. 66 percent of boys are not graduating, and this puts a threat on many families' income status. Socially, we know that when a family is struggling, boys are likely to leave school to seek employment. This can result in child labour, gang violence, and becoming prey for potential recruitment for negative things."

This year, the day was celebrated under the theme "Educate an African fit for the 21st century: Building resilient education systems for increased access to inclusive, lifelong, quality, and relevant learning in Africa."

The Deputy Minister of Education, Arts & Culture said,

"The revised curriculum that we are implementing now, which replaces the old one, aims to address the pressing need for an education system that incorporates modern teaching, such as digital literacy, critical thinking, and problem-solving, to prepare learners for the evolving economic changes."

Selma Nghifikwa said,

"Awakening the African child's dream, we celebrate children in every way. Their right to education for knowledge is power. Let's make it clear, in Namibia's land, education stands tall with strong pillars. It reaches us all."