THE Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS) has urged teachers to take youth social development, sexuality education and reproductive health serious. It made the call during an interaction with reporters. Quoting the United Nations (UN), the academy noted that 60 per cent of Nigerian youths live below poverty line and face problems such as non-access to education, unemployment, exposure to conflicts and vulnerability to sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Also, it said the report shows that the youth make up 50.2 per cent of global population, and about two-thirds of the country’s total. The meeting also provided opportunity for stakeholders to discuss the academy’s projects in Ekiti and Nasarrawa states. It demonstrated how to use the Family Life and Health Education (FLHE) curriculum and stimulate state governments to seek ways to improve the well-being, social development and reproductive health in the two states. NAS President, Prof Mosto Onuoha, said the Academy embarked on the projects to enable the government to have tangible polices on youth and social development in the forefront of its agenda, and translate science and technology to the benefit of Nigerians. According to him, parents should be primary sexuality educators of their children before they go to school. Project Leader Prof Akinyinka Omigbodun gave an overview of the project by NAS in the states, which began in 2013 to address youth and social development problems and to strengthen collaboration. He noted that the choice of the two states was informed by the need to pick one state each from the north and south that are far from metropolitan areas. In each state, samples were taken from persons aged 10 to 24. He added that their findings showed the true picture which brought about developing a strategic plan document and implementation. “Our study revealed the youth are very vulnerable. If nothing is done about the issue, it will be like sitting on a keg of gun powder that will explode anytime soon,” he said. The project, he added, would be carried out in 34 states. Omigbodun called for advocacy by state governments and sustainability of such findings and its implementation. Representative of Nassarawa State Government and the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Mr Abari Aboki, came with his predecessor, Mr Naptali Dachor. Dachor noted that there was a challenge of accepting that reproductive health does not deal with sex. Action Health Incorporated Director, Mrs Adenike Esiet, who gave the keynote address titled: The FLHE curriculum in Nigeria. Why bother, said research showed that eight in 10 people initiated sex at the end of their teenage years with more than half of all new HIV infections occurring in people under 25. Young girls mostly affected. Also, not only are young girls primary targets of sexual abuse, incest and rape, three of five school girls have done abortions. This gave rise to the Family Life Health Education (FLHE) Curriculum okayed in 2002 during the 49th Session of the National Council on Education as the Education sector’s response to mitigating HIV. The FLHE is a tool to change teachers exploiting students and arm young people to know their rights. Esiet noted that findings with the use of FLHE showed higher knowledge score about sexuality and reproductive health; expressing gender equality attitudes; boys less likely to pressure girls into sexual activity and girls’ ability to say no to boys in intimate situations. In 2003, Lagos State began using the curriculum and has trained 2,500 teachers on the issue. Also, the curriculum has now been added to Social Science and Integrated Science to giving them skills to be comfortable with letting them know they will have body changes and help young people at their point of needs.
