UNESCO partners Lagos to deepen health education
THE United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) has partnered with the Lagos State government to deepen family life and HIV education in Nigeria.
The Family Life and HIV Education (FLHE) study was approved by the National Council on Education (NCE) in 2004, with Action Health Incorporated (AHI) as the implementation partner.
“UNESCO continues to use its comparative advantage at improving the learning outcomes in Nigeria,” Abdourahamane Diallo, head of the UNESCO office in Abuja, said during the dissemination of the short and intermediate-term outcomes of family life and HIV education workshop held in Lagos.
The technical workshop was to get input and buy-in from local stakeholders in family life and HIV education across the country.
According to Diallo, UNESCO has been providing technical support to the government to improve the quality of education in Nigeria under its cooperative framework.
“UNESCO will continue to contribute its quota to gender equality, human rights of women youth and marginalized groups including People Living with Disabilities (PLWD) in
Nigeria,” Diallo said.
Jamiu Alli-balogun, Lagos State commissioner for basic and secondary education, stated that FLHE had empowered students with the knowledge and skills necessary to make informed decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health issues.
Alli-balogun, who was represented by Omolayo Akinlade, director of the education resource centre, disclosed that Lagos localised the national curriculum and adopted FLHE into its scheme of work in basic science, social studies and civic education, among other subjects for easy dissemination to students.
“Our commitment to the well-being and holistic development of students extends beyond the walls of the classroom to encompass the fundamental values of knowledge, compassion, and resilience,” he stated.
Adenike Esiet, co-founder of Action Health Incorporated (AHI), said the NGO has been committed to promoting the health, and well-being of young people, especially catalysing opportunities for their access to FLHE
She disclosed that as the implementing partner for UNESCO’S FLHE programme in Lagos, AHI partnered with education district IV (Yaba) to carry out the study in schools within the district.