​Gauteng Department of Social Development’s Schools Psycho-social support program hosted one hundred girl learners to discuss teenage pregnancy at JC Knoetze Hall in Sebokeng last Saturday, 21 October 2023.
The aim of the dialogue was to raise awareness on safe and unsafe behavior, promote healthy physical and psychological development of learners, so they can become responsible members of their families and communities.

The dialogue also sought to reduce the number of school dropout by offering learners information that will help them understand and in order to take precautions for their sexual engagements with the hope to decrease the rate of unwanted pregnancies in school.

There were speakers from various organisations who gave advice and support to learners, whilst linking them with relevant resources and support system.

The Gauteng Department of Social Development, Sedibeng Social Work Manager, Khumo Kgomoeswana, encouraged learners to pay more attention to their studies despite their backgrounds. She further outlined some of the interventions that government and other stakeholders provide to ensure that learners are empowered and make informed decisions.

“Today we are going to resuscitate forums which we used to have before Covid-19, and we are going to produce professionals like we used before. From these forums we have produced Engineers, Social Workers and Teachers and many more professionals, we have also created their families’ profiles for us to understand their family backgrounds. These forums give necessary to support and are able to assist learners in unleashing their potential and ultimately, making them better leaders, “said Kgomoeswana.