Keetmanshoop — Teenage pregnancies at Government schools in the Karas Region are increasing.

Figures obtained from the office of the Director of Education in the Karas, /Awebahe //Hoeseb, showed that during the first term of 2011, 11 pregnancies among schoolgirls were recorded, eight in the second term, and 44 in the third term.

During the first term of 2012 (January 17 to April 25) 25 pregnancies have been recorded.

However, not all teenage pregnancies are reported and recorded at schools.

Some of these girls are still in primary school.

For the first term of 2012, the Karasburg Senior Secondary School topped the list with five pregnancies, followed by the PK de Villiers and Suiderlig secondary schools with four pregnancies each.

Deputy Director of Education in Karas, Celi Mostert said last year that socio-economic circumstances, such as poverty, could be the reasons for the teenage pregnancies.

The deputy director also previously told Nampa that some girls might go out with older men just because they want to be given money, and they sometimes end up pregnant.