The Dominican press is focusing on the need to curb the increasing trend of untimely pregnancies and the spreading of AIDS among teenagers. School directors feel that incorporating sex education as a subject would have a positive effect. Physicians from major public hospitals say that 40% of mothers-to-be attending those centers are under 20 years of age. The Minister of Education Ligia Amada Melo rejected the plan proposed by Asociación Dominicana Po Bienestar de la Familia (Profamilia) understanding that that program calls for the distribution of condoms among students, which would be a form of promoting promiscuity. But Magaly Caram of Profamilia says, "Sex education in schools is a process of communication, of learning, of changing conduct, self esteem, respect, intrafamily communication, respect for equality of gender, and pondering of the damaging consequences of violence, not the distribution of condoms as unfortunately has been interpreted." Caram has also advocated that the Ministry derogate the measure that calls for the expelling pregnant girls from their schools.
