Teacher Training on Comprehensive Sexuality Education Begins in Kenema

JaSiLe Foundation (Japan Sierra Leone Foundation), the local partner organization of the Japanese NGO Alazi Dream Project, has launched a teacher training program in Kenema, Sierra Leone, to strengthen sexuality education in schools.

This program aims to prevent teenage pregnancy and school dropout among adolescents by equipping school teachers with accurate knowledge and practical teaching methods. Through this training, teachers will be able to deliver sexuality education classes continuously and effectively in their schools.

As a pilot initiative, ten teachers from five schools in Kenema are participating in the first round of training.

At the launch of the program, representatives from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health attended the session. During the meeting, the participants confirmed their cooperation and shared agreements on future collaboration.

This training program is supported by the JICA Fund.

■ Official Support from the Ministry of Education

The Kenema District Education Office reaffirmed that education on adolescent health, sexuality, and bodily rights is already recognized as part of the civic education curriculum in schools.

The ministry emphasized that this training program is an important initiative to ensure that these topics are effectively taught in classrooms.

Teachers who complete the training will receive certificates of completion and are expected to take a leading role in implementing sexuality education within their respective schools.

In addition, several measures were proposed and agreed upon to strengthen the institutional framework surrounding student protection and support. These include:

• Installing suggestion boxes in schools where students can safely raise concerns or seek help
• Establishing school-based child protection committees to safeguard students
• Providing regular updates to the Ministry of Education on the progress of activities

These mechanisms aim to create a system that allows schools and authorities to respond to problems at an early stage.

■ Strong Collaboration with the Ministry of Health

The District Health authorities in Kenema also expressed strong support for this initiative and confirmed their commitment to working closely with the program.

Key areas of collaboration include:

• Strengthening cooperation with school health clubs, student groups that learn about health and well-being
• Supporting the establishment of health clubs in schools where they do not yet exist
• Encouraging peer learning opportunities where students can share knowledge and experiences with one another
• Expanding learning opportunities for parents and community members
• Collaborating with medical institutions to conduct research and better understand the current situation

The implementation of these proposals will be carefully considered, and surveys may be conducted to assess the current situation. Data collected through this program will be used to improve future activities.

■ Positive Feedback from Teachers

Teachers who participated in the training expressed strong interest and motivation, noting that the content addresses issues that students urgently need to understand.

Several participants also suggested that such education should begin at an earlier stage. As a result, the possibility of expanding sexuality education to the primary school level will be considered in the future.

To ensure continuous communication and knowledge sharing, a contact group was also established among participating teachers.

■ Significance of the Initiative

This training is not intended to be a one-time event. Rather, it represents the first step toward embedding sexuality education within local systems through collaboration among schools, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Health.

Moving forward, Alazi Dream Project will continue working to build sustainable systems that contribute to the prevention of teenage pregnancy and the reduction of school dropout among adolescents.

Scenes from the Training Session

（投稿）Masaya Kobiki