The Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan, Prof. Abel Idowu Olayinka, has advocated for the acquisition of Family Life and HIV Education (FLHE) in order to achieve a fulfilling and rewarding life.

At a national workshop where the Ibadan Social and Evaluation Research Team (ISERT) of the premier university presented the report of a six-year nationwide research conducted on FLHE, the VC said that the university had been supported by the Ford Foundation to undertake some activities designed to scale up the implementation of FLHE curricula in Nigerian schools.

The national workshop held in Abuja was attended by representatives of the Federal Ministry of Education and officials of All Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS). The research focused on lifestyle of students and sexuality.

Prof Olayinka noted that the objective of the workshop was to enable carefully selected but critical stakeholders take a final look at the research findings and decide on how to utilise them as well as to obtain the approval for their use.

The FLHE is a planned process of age appropriation, cultural and gender sensitive education that foster the acquisition of knowledge of life skills. It also gives reproductive health information, which should lead to positive changes in behaviours, attitudes, beliefs, values and the development of skills by adolescent to cope with emerging life sexuality issues.

Prof Olayinka said that ISERT conducted the FLHE research in 35 states, and visited governments at all levels as well as traditional leaders to sensitise them on the project.

He hoped that the research materials, training algorithms and guidelines would be quite useful, not only in Nigeria but also served as templates for similar exercises in the African continent.

The VC said the ultimate desire of the project was for students in rural and urban areas anywhere in the country to live a more fulfilling and rewarding life through the acquisition of sound FLHE.

ISERT intends to mass produce and distribute the report across the country in collaboration with relevant groups and agencies.

The National President of ANCOPSS, Mr Anselm Izuagie, assured that secondary schools nationwide would key into the project since the fight against HIV pandemic was essential to having a progressive country and good family life.

The National Coordinator HIV/AIDS Department of the Federal Ministry of Education, Mrs Florence Otaru Otaru, canvassed for an awareness campaign organised by schools, Ministry of Education of each state and other stakeholders as well as the establishments of anti-AIDS clubs and structures in every state Ministry of Education and that of the FCT. She further said: “This will enable the Ministry of Education coordinate and monitor the implementation process in collaboration with members of the critical mass through critical mass meetings, capacity building and meeting reports.”

The acting Coordinator of ISERT, Prof Olufemi Omololu, commended the Federal Ministry of Education for its collaboration and guidance and Ford Foundation for their financial support towards the project and successful hosting of the national workshop.

The University of Ibadan’s ISERT is a multidisciplinary collaborative group that provides quality project monitoring and evaluation training, programme monitoring and evaluation and data management to organisations.

•Photo shows, from left; Anselm Izuagie; President of All Conference of Principals of Secondary Schools (ANCOPSS), Mrs Florence Otaru, National Coordinator, HIV/AIDS Department, Federal Ministry of Education; Prof Abel Olayinka, Vice Chancellor of the University of Ibadan; and Prof Femi Omololu , Acting Coordinator Ibadan Social and Evaluation Research Team (ISERT), at national workshop on Family Life and HIV Education (FLHE) organised by the ISERT of the University of Ibadan in Abuja recently.

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