Sunyani: The Ghana Education Service (GES) has reaffirmed its commitment to preventing student dropouts in Senior High Schools (SHS) due to teenage pregnancy, substance abuse, or acts of lawlessness. Mrs. Theresah Oppong-Mensah, the Director of the School Health Education Programme (SHEP) at GES, highlighted the significant influence of peer groups on teenage pregnancy and substance abuse, which often lead to lawlessness in schools.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mrs. Oppong-Mensah explained that with the support of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), GES is actively addressing these issues by providing comprehensive training on Adolescent Reproductive Health (ARH) and life skills to SHS students. She made these remarks during an inter-school club leaders and patrons training workshop in Sunyani, which is part of the ongoing implementation of Phase Two of the Adolescent Girls Programme (AGP II).
AGP II is a UNFPA multi-sectoral initiative aiming to empower adolescents, particularly girls, by equipping them with knowledge, skills, and support for informed decision-making through reproductive health education, rights-based services, and life skills training. Mrs. Oppong-Mensah stressed GES's dedication to ensuring that no SHS student is deprived of quality education, emphasizing that life skills education empowers students to remain focused on their studies.
The training, currently conducted in five regions including Eastern, Ashanti, Volta, and North East, aims to eventually cover all regions by year-end. It targets teachers, School Health Club leaders, and peer leaders to foster positive change in schools and society. Mrs. Oppong-Mensah expressed optimism about achieving beneficial outcomes due to the high level of student interest and participation.
Mr. Benjamin Siripi Quartson, Deputy Bono Regional Director of Education, emphasized the shared responsibility of stakeholders in shaping the discipline and moral development of SHS students. He noted that while corporal punishment is abolished, families should refrain from interfering in disciplinary processes when students violate school rules.
Reverend Patrick Banafo, Programme Officer at GES and a training facilitator, explained that AGP II builds on the successes of its first phase by enhancing advocacy, life skills development, and access to essential information. The training covers Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH), Menstrual Health and Hygiene (MHH), Gender-Based Violence (GBV) prevention, HIV and STI prevention, and Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (PSS).