A non-governmental organization under the auspices of the Action Health Incorporated (AHI), has trained teachers across Ekiti State on adolescent sexual reproductive health education to prevent teenage pregnancy in schools, among others.

The three-day training in collaboration with the Ekiti State Ministry of Education and with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), held in Ado-Ekiti at the weekend, brought together teachers from public and private secondary schools across the three senatorial districts of the state.

Speaking during the programme, the Programme Officer of AHI, Fatimah Idris, said the initiative was aimed at equipping teachers with the knowledge and skills required to educate young people on sexual and reproductive health issues.

Idris explained that Comprehensive Sexuality Education is an age-appropriate and curriculum-based approach that helps young people acquire life skills and accurate information needed to make informed decisions about their health and wellbeing.

According to her, discussions around sexuality education are often treated with sensitivity despite their importance to the healthy development of children and adolescents.

“We are empowering teachers so they can step down the training to students in schools and communities. We want young people to be well informed about their bodies, their health and how to make healthy decisions that will positively shape their future,” she said.

One of the facilitators, Funsho Olajide Benjamin, described Female Genital Mutilation as a major challenge affecting girls and women in Ekiti State and across Nigeria.

He stressed the need to educate children early through trained teachers in order to prevent harmful traditional practices and reduce cases of abuse among young people.

“We believe teachers are in the best position to shape the minds of young people. By training them, they can return to their schools and pass the knowledge to students so they do not become victims of harmful practices,” he stated.

Olajide noted that many of the participants were being exposed for the first time to issues relating to sexuality education, referral pathways for GBV cases and child protection systems.

He added that the workshop also focused on life skills such as assertiveness, communication and self-awareness, while teachers from special schools were included to ensure that students with disabilities were not left out of the advocacy campaign.

Also, a lawyer Rita Ilevbare exposed the participants to the relevant laws against social vices especially FGM and child rights law and the referral pathways.

She urged the teachers to take advantage of the linkages established to report cases of abuse and FGM against students towards a protective system.

One of the participants at the training, Titilayo Igbalajobi, described the programme as impactful and timely, stressing that the knowledge acquired during the three-day workshop would greatly assist teachers in guiding adolescents and addressing challenges confronting young people in society.

Igbalajobi said the training exposed participants to practical ways of communicating with teenagers and helping them make informed decisions, adding that teachers also have a responsibility to transfer the knowledge gained to students and colleagues in their respective schools.

She advocated for regular and continuous training programmes of such nature, expressing optimism that sustained awareness and education would contribute to building a better and more responsible society in the future.