This was conveyed in response to Article 103, Paragraph 4, letter "e" in Government Regulation (PP) Number 28 of 2024 containing the words "provision of contraceptives" as part of the efforts to improve the reproductive health of schoolgoers and adolescents.
"We can try to educate them to not get pregnant before the age of 20. They can postpone pregnancy until they are old enough," the ministry's Head of the Reproductive Health Working Team, Wira Hartiti, stated in a webinar on Tuesday.
She highlighted that several teenage girls sought dispensation from school to get married and have children. In fact, the ideal age to get pregnant for women is over 20 years to 35 years.
"This contraceptive is prepared only for married teenagers. The provision will be carried out at health facilities by health workers," she remarked.
Her side will also disseminate reproductive health education information, including avoiding risky sexual behavior and its consequences on unmarried teenagers.
Hartiti said her office has striven to improve the reproductive health of teenagers through promotive, preventive, curative, rehabilitative, and palliative efforts.
"Educational materials will be provided according to the level of education. It will be given with different materials and methods, considering that this reproductive health material is very sensitive material," she stated.
The Health Ministry is also working with the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology to improve the competence of teachers and school principals regarding reproductive health education for teenagers.
She highlighted that the government also has in place a reproductive health education module for teachers that can be accessed through the Merdeka Mengajar Platform and the Ayo Sehat on the Health Ministry's website.
"We hope this reproductive health education can be strengthened, including integrating it into the curriculum or material in extracurricular activities to enrich the students' understanding regarding a healthy lifestyle," Hartiti stated.
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Translator: Rizka Khaerunnisa, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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