The Directorate of Research, Evaluation and Development of Study Programs (CREDD), a unit under the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education (MoBSE), on Wednesday concluded its dissemination forums on strengthening access to comprehensive quality health education in The Gambia.
Strengthening Access to Quality Comprehensive Health Education in The Gambia is an implementation research project conducted by the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education funded by the International Development Research Center (IDRC), Canada .
The overall objective of the study was to examine the barriers to the implementation of comprehensive health education (CHE), while the information generated is used to design and implement relevant school and community programs in the community. Western Region 1, Kanifing City Council – which has a large population of children and adolescents.
The dissemination forums that started from February 26 to March 17, 2021 were able to bring together different segments of religious leaders, members of the National Assembly (MNA), relevant ministries, members of the APTs, directors, teachers, CSOs, NGOs, PDAGs, representatives from SSWH, officials from MoBSE, MoHERST, Ministry of Health, researchers and community facilitators for out-of-school children, among other stakeholders, for interactions to seek solutions to challenges and make recommendations , chart the way forward for the implementation of comprehensive health education (CHE) in the countryside.
Meanwhile, some key findings include adolescent sexual and reproductive health (ASRH) issues, challenges in implementing comprehensive health education for in-school and out-of-school adolescents, as reported by NGO staff , civil society organizations and school authorities.
The Principal Investigator of the Strengthening Access to Comprehensive Quality Health Education Project for In-School and Out-of-School Adolescents in Region I, Ms Phebian Ina Grant-Sagnia, said the lack of coordination between different implementing agencies. implementation of sexual and reproductive health programs; funding gaps for sexual and reproductive health programs; political restrictions and societal norms that perceived discussions of sexual and reproductive health issues to be highly culturally sensitive were all reported as major obstacles to the implementation of sexual and reproductive health education programs for women. out-of-school adolescents.
She pointed out that inadequate teaching hours devoted to sexual and reproductive health topics and the limited participation of stakeholders in curriculum development, among others, are major challenges for the implementation of comprehensive health education. for teens at school.
Among other things, Ms Grant-Sagnia said that the expected results of the study will be the identification of challenges to the implementation of comprehensive health education and changes in understanding, behavior and practices at individual levels. , institutional and community towards effective education and information in health and access. adolescent health services at the end of the project.
