On Monday, the Society for Family Health (SFH), in partnership with the Taraba State Ministry of Education, announced plans to train 1,111 teachers in health and wellbeing education for students in Taraba State.
SFH Programme Director Aisha Dadi disclosed this initiative during an advocacy and awareness session on Education for Health and Wellbeing (EHW) organised by SFH in Jalingo.
She noted that the programme, funded by UNESCO, aims to improve the well-being of primary and secondary school students in response to the growing population of adolescents and youth in West and Central Africa.
The project aligns with the region’s commitment to fostering education, health, and resilience among young people across 25 countries.
“Considering the growing population of adolescents and youth in the West and Central Africa, commitment has been made to education, healthy and thriving adolescents among young people. The aim is to promote education, healthy, and resilient adolescents among young people across 25 countries of the region,” Dadi stated.
To meet these goals, the initiative will address key challenges such as low school completion rates, new HIV infections, limited knowledge about HIV, internet-related risks, social norms, gender-based violence, family planning needs, menstrual hygiene, early and unintended pregnancies, and drug abuse.
Dadi added that SFH would work with the Taraba State Ministry of Education to roll out the programme in selected schools in Jalingo, Gassol, and Wukari.
She encouraged collaboration with additional stakeholders and support from the Office of the First Lady to expand training across all local government areas, with oversight from the ministry’s quality assurance division.
She also emphasised the need for “parents, religious and traditional leaders to provide all the enabling environment for the success of the project in their various localities.”
In her welcome address, Taraba State Commissioner for Education Dr. Augustina Godwin, represented by the ministry’s Permanent Secretary Alhaji Idris Goje, praised SFH and UNESCO for their support. She explained that the meeting aimed to strengthen the implementation of the “Education for Health and Wellbeing” and Family Life and HIV Education policy in Taraba.
The Commissioner highlighted that the project aligns with Governor Agbu Kefas’ Free and Compulsory Education Policy in Taraba and encouraged stakeholders to support its success, as it could create substantial employment opportunities for citizens.
