UNESCO to train 1,111 teachers, build PHC officers’ capacities on adolescents SRHS in Ebonyi

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has indicated plans to train 1,111 in-service teachers on promoting adolescent friendly services in Ebonyi schools.

 

The organization said it would also build capacity of some selected officers in-charge of Primary Health Facilities in 8 pilot local government area of the state on adolescents’ sexual and reproductive health services, incorporating HIV and Gender-based violence issues.

 

The disclosure was made on Thursday by UNESCO representative and the Executive Director, GirlUp Africa, Chikaodi Omokide.

 

GirlUp Africa is the Civil Society Organization commissioned by UNESCO to lead the implementation of its 03 project in the state.

 

The project seeks to secure the active collaboration and commitment of all stakeholders to educated, healthy and thriving adolescents and young people in line with the proclamation of the Ministers of Education and Health of West and Central Africa (WCA) on 6 April 2023, in Kintélé, Kenya.

 

Omokide, who led some focal persons from the State Universal Basic Education Board on advocacy visit to Ministry of Education and the State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, advocated for inter-Ministerial and agency synergy in promoting the health and educational wellbeing of adolescents and young people in Ebonyi State.

 

She demanded improved coordination between the two agencies of government and others, to promote School linkages to Primary health care centres.

 

Omokide noted that doing so would create the desired demand for good health seeking behaviour among in-school adolescents and prevent unwanted outcomes of seeking information and care from the wrong quarters which may jeopardize their future.

 

She advocated for the state government to further take the initiative of training more adolescent friendly teachers and primary healthcare workers, so as to raise sufficient advocates, capable of equipping young people with the requisite knowledge and skills to make responsible and informed choices for their health and well-being.

 

In their separate responses, the Commissioner for Education, Professor Paul Awo Nwobasi and the Executive Secretary, SPHCDA, Dr. Emeka Philip Ovuoba, pledged their commitments to connect with each other strategically towards achieving the goals of the project in the state.

 

In his commitment, Nwobasi said his Ministry would strengthen assembly talks and moral instructions as a platform for sensitizing adolescents on their sexual and reproductive health and rights.

 

He directed the immediate inclusion of budget line for teachers’ training in the ongoing preparation of the 2025 budget of the Ministry, and assured that the Ministry would do everything possible to revive existing safe spaces in schools: clubs, societies to be maned by trained peer mentors where adolescents can share experiences and learn.

 

Ovuoba acknowledged that making healthcare facilities to render friendly services to adolescents was a key step to safeguarding their health and future.

 

He pledged to facilitate the linkage of some schools to health facilities with trained adolescent and youth friendly health workers.

 

The advocacy visits featured the submission of the project demands and proclamation documents of the Ministers of Education and Health of West and Central Africa (WCA) to the government officials.