jamal 
AMAYO DARLINGTON IZIENGBE
In a bid to ensure that the youths in school and those out of school are equipped with sex education, the Lagos State Government, in collaboration with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), has organised a three-day capacity building programme for instructors on the dissemination of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) Curriculum and the use of Teaching Manual.
The programme held today at Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Alausa brought together participants from the Lagos State Technical and Vocational Education Board (LASTVEB), Government Technical Colleges, Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA) and Skills Acquisition Centres from across the State.
In her welcome address, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Pharm (Mrs.) Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu, said, “This programme aims to give students the knowledge, attitudes, skills and values to make appropriate and healthy choices in their sexual lives. It gives young people accurate, age-appropriate information about sexuality and their sexual and reproductive health which is critical for their health and survival”.
“The training is based on an established curriculum, scientifically accurate, tailored for different ages and comprehensive as it covers a range of topics on sexuality and sexual reproductive health throughout childhood and adolescence. It contains eight modules and 28 topics which are structured and provide a framework that spreads across human development, sexual health, relationship, sexual behaviour, society and culture”.
According to Oke-Osanyintolu, who was represented by the Director of Administration and Human Resources in the Ministry, Mr. Adewunmi Ogunsanya, to ensure that the CSE would remain relevant and responsive to the needs of the youth in society, a review of the Curriculum was considered necessary in 2022 as it became expedient to change certain vocabularies and incorporate emerging issues among young people and people with disability to ensure that no one was left behind.
On her part, the Head UNFPA, Lagos Liaison Office, Alexandrine Danzogbo stated the Organization decided to partner with Lagos State to help implement the CSE programme.
Urging the participants to further disseminate the information about CSE within their sphere of influence, Danzogbo said, “This collaboration between the UNFPA and MYSD is to help reinforce the knowledge and competence of teachers in this issue.
The achievement of the Revised Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) is a landmark one. The expansion of the programme to those with a disability is to ensure no one is left behind”.
In her remark, Assistant Director, Development Partnership Department, Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs. Oshikoya Adekemi said the Comprehensive Sexuality Education is a success story because it has positively impacted a lot of young ones who were hitherto ignorant of what they now know about sexuality.
“The role UNFPA has played, in this as a long-standing partner in the task of imparting sexuality education, is worthy of commendation”, she added.
