Sexual, reproductive health education for Kassena Nankana basic schools

Navrongo (UE), July 18, GNA- The Navrongo Health Research Centre (NHRC) in collaboration with the Ghana Education Service and the Kassena Nankana District in the Upper East Region have intensified their education campaign on sexual and reproductive health in some selected basic schools in the district.

The pilot project would be replicated in all basic schools and second cycle instititutions in the District. Dr. Abraham Hodgson, the Director of the NHRC, said these at an inter-circuit quiz competition for some selected Junior Secondary Schools in the District to assess students' knowledge of sexual and reproductive health.

He said the Centre had presented research findings to policy makers and other stakeholders towards the promotion of health and cited that it had recently carried out a study on malaria. Dr. Hodgson appealed to participants of the contest to impact the knowledge they had acquired to their colleagues in school and their communities.

Mr. Emmanuel Cheese, the District Chief Executive, in a speech read for him, commended the organisers of the education campaign for initiating the project, which he said would help the school children acquire knowledge about their sexual and reproductive health. He asked parents to discuss sex and reproductive health issues with their children at home to prevent them from seeking such knowledge from friends and other people who might take advantage of their ignorance and abuse them sexually.

Mr. Cheese advised school children to abstain from early sex and concentrate on their education to enable them to acquire knowledge and skills required for development.

Mr. Edward Puruse, the District Director of Education, called on individuals and organisations to support quiz competitions for schools to complement efforts being made by teachers in educating school children on issues affecting their sexual and reproductive health. The District Manager of Catholic Schools, Mr. Daniel Abambilla congratulated the school children for their excellent performance in the competition and urged them to study hard to achieve higher academic laurels.