EDUCATION Minister Shaik Baksh has announced that several other secondary schools across the country will see the implementation of the Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) programmes in their curriculum. He said it is being done with an aim of allowing students the opportunity of getting the requisite knowledge and skills needed to deal, appropriately, with social challenges in society.
Mr. Baksh made the announcement on Monday at the opening of a one-day workshop on effectively implementing the HFLE programme, which is currently being offered in 30 schools.
The training targeted 40 teachers from throughout the country and was organised by the Ministry in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF).
Baksh said greater attention is being placed on strengthening the programme, as the Ministry seeks to have disciplined and well-informed students in the school system, a drive that will enhance national development.
He also pointed out that, while the Ministry is making a concerted effort in this regard, parents have an important role to play in instilling in their children sound moral and ethical values.
The Minister added that teachers will be required to submit quarterly status reports, which will be monitored to ensure that plans are going as required.
The ministry has established an HFLE Unit, headed by a coordinator with support staff, to oversee the successful introduction of the subject in schools.
This initiative is one of several units established by the Education Minister to address challenges in a number of specialised areas in education. The others include the Health and HIV/AIDS and the Special Education Needs Unit.
Minister Baksh said an investment in youth is an investment in the future and noted that these units have been created to not only ensure that students receive a sound education but also have the right mindset to be meaningful contributors in society.
HOLISTIC WAY
He believes that this development will promote safe, positive and acceptable behaviours in schools and address students’ indisciplined behaviour in a more holistic way.
As part of the teacher education reform programme, the HFLE is taught at the Cyril Potter College of Education (CPCE) but not as an examinable subject, a release said.
It said, in an effort to ensure the widespread implementation of the programme, the minister is urging the college to host other workshops for teachers in the school system during the current holidays.
A release said the project is a timetabled curriculum subject geared to provide students with useful tips on healthy lifestyle practices and the importance of leading disciplined and productive lives.
The Monday training was a follow-up to a similar initiative that was executed sometime last year at Regency Suites Hotel, on Hadfield Street, Georgetown, during which 30 teachers were trained to effectively deliver the programme.
Last year’s programme was conducted under the theme ‘Transforming our classrooms though Health and Family Life Education (HFLE)’ and phase one of the pilot was expected to train a cadre of teachers/educators to deliver the curriculum in classrooms, using interactive and student- friendly methodologies.
The expected outcome was that participants would be fully equipped with skills and knowledge to smoothly implement the HFLE as a way to combat the growing incidence of violence, substance abuse and irresponsible sexual activity, which leads to unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, including HIV, the release stated.
It said the objectives of the workshops were to provide participants with an overview of the nature and goals of HFLE; knowledge and skills to implement HFLE in their classrooms; the opportunity to practise teaching the common curriculum lessons with other teachers and learn useful strategies and other tips for teaching the same, as well as to assist participants in developing competence in equipping students with the necessary skills to make decisions and deal with life dilemmas using common lessons.
The release said teachers were urged to put into practice the knowledge they received to positively shape social, moral and ethical values in society and were also given the responsibility of sharing their knowledge with their colleagues.
UNICEF Resident Representative, Dr. Suleiman Braimoh said the Monday workshop presented a unique opportunity for the teachers to set a strong foundation for the creation of a stable society for generations to come.
United States Agency for International Development (USAID)/ Guyana HIV/AIDS Reduction and Prevention Project (GHARP) 11 Chief of Party, Dr. Olufemi Oweye said children are the future of the country and praised Guyana for taking steps to ensuring that the future of its children is secured.
The workshop was attended by several senior Education Ministry functionaries, including Chief Planning Officer, Ms. Evelyn Hamilton, Deputy Chief Education Officer (Administration), Ms. Donna Chapman and Principal Education Officer (Georgetown), Ms. Marcel Hutson.