150 teenage pregnancy cases between July 2016-June 2017

MORE than 150 teenage pregnancy cases were recorded in schools around the country between July 2016 and June last year. A supplementary book formulated by the National Substance Abuse and Advisory Council for the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking 2018 revealed that teenage pregnancy cases were reported in all districts around the country, with Nadi/Lautoka/Yasawa schools recording the highest, accounting for 21 out of the 121 cases. Out of the total reported cases, 24 cases were from primary schools while the remaining 97 cases were from secondary schools. For primary schools, majority of the teenage pregnancy cases were recorded in schools from Cakaudrove while majority of the cases recorded in secondary schools were from schools in Nausori. Meanwhile, harassment of students in both primary and secondary schools was another issue highlighted in the report. Out of the 578 reported cases of sexually related offences in schools, 224 accounted for harassment of students while poking accounted for another 170. According to the report, more than 50 per cent of the total reported harassment cases were recorded in secondary schools while 70 cases were recorded in primary schools. The report revealed poking was prevalent in primary schools, accounting for 89 out of the 170 cases. Eighty-one poking cases were recorded in secondary schools. There were also 19 cases of rape and defilement recorded in primary and secondary schools around the country between the 2016 and 2017 period.