Working with school teachers to improve access to ASRH Services

According to a study by the National Teenage Fertility Study, Zimbabwe has the highest teenage fertility rate in sub-Saharan Africa. It is reported that between 500 000 and 700 000 teenagers fall pregnant every year and teenage pregnancy is one of the main causes of maternal mortality (ZDHS, 2017). Zimbabwe has a young population with adolescents 15-19 years constituting 24% of the total population (Zimstats, 2015).

A study by WHO (2010) found that teenage pregnancy is the leading cause of death among young women aged 15-19 worldwide, with complications during childbirth and unsafe abortions being major risk factors. Lack of adequate information to young girls and teenagers has been cited as one of the reasons why teenagers fall pregnant and fail to negotiate for safer sexual practices. It is therefore imperative that stakeholders, development partners and NGOs work together in a multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary way to increase access to SRH information and services to adolescent girls.

One of the ways is to work closely with school teachers in dissemination of SRH information to adolescent girls and boys in schools. The process will involve mentoring, orientating and training school teachers on basic SRH information linked to puberty and guidance and counselling. The teachers will then mainstream SRH information in school classes particularly guidance and counselling and other social studies so that school pupils will be exposed to SRH information including HIV/AIDS, STIs and menstrual hygiene.

In addition, teachers will also work with school peer educators who will be trained and mentored by teachers and development workers. The peer educators will promote SRH information dissemination in schools among fellow peers in peer to peer approach. There are various advantages of involving teachers and other pupils because it’s a sustainable way and also cost effective. The process capacitate the school system and also allows only teachers to interface with pupils using the pedagogy training they received at teacher training colleges. It also ensures accountability for teachers in terms of the content and type of information which they expose the pupils to.

Last but not list the process and initiatives need support of other stakeholders, parents and leaders so that there is an enabling environment for such processes to take place. It encourages and reinforces the information and prevents distortion so that when school pupils go home after school, they will get consistent support and reinforcement rather than conflicting information and facts. It is always critical and important to involve the beneficiaries particularly the special groups such as youths in terms of design and implementation so that the barrier to communication is overcome because adolescents as peers can reach each other in a non stigma and fearful way. As said by Lauren Reichelt “When we set out to improve life for others without a fundamental understanding of their point of view and quality of experience, we do more harm than good.

Enock is a Development, Health and Management practitioner with more than 15 years experience in SRH, HIV/AIDS, Adolescents, Family Planning and Reproductive Health Services. Enock holds an MBA; BSc Hons Psychology, Diploma in Nursing and Certificate in Health Management.