Education ministry concludes ISHP training

KEETMANSHOOP, 14 JUL  – The Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture concluded a three-day training here on Thursday for members of the Integrated School Health Programme (ISHP) task force in the //Kharas Region.
The programme complements the Eastern and Southern African (ESA) Commitment on Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights.
This initiative, which was signed in 2013 by the ministers of health and education of the 21 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa, including Namibia, strives for improved access to quality sexuality education and reproductive health services for all young people.
The task force consists of 47 members representing different line ministries, non-governmental organisations, civil society, youth forums, institutions of higher learning and traditional authorities in //Kharas.
In his closing remarks, the Deputy Director of Education, Julius Nghifikwa urged the task force to put resources together and strengthen coordination and collaboration and assist one another, “because the target person is one and is the youth”.
“The ministry of education targets the youth, ministry of health targets the youth, ministry of youth targets the youth and the list goes on, all these ministries must collaborate with the resources they have and provide quality service to the youth,” he said.
He explained that the objective of the training was for the task force to understand ISHP and also strengthen the collaboration between the line ministries.
“It is actually to create a platform for them to share experiences regarding provision of services for the youth, especially health services,” he said.
A participant at the training, //Kharas Regional Forum chairperson, Viviane de Koe described the training as informative and very beneficial.
She stressed that all the line ministries have a common goal which is to find problems faced by the youth and find ways to solve them.
Selma Nakalemo from the Ministry of Safety and Security who also attended the meeting, said the training came at the right time as Namibia is facing challenges such as school dropouts and early sexual intercourse which must be addressed.
It is not a responsibility for the school and parents only but all of us, it requires all the line ministries to be part of the force too,” she expressed.
(NAMPA)