Between March 24 and 31st, under the auspices of the UNESCO O3 Project, the 12 Education for Health and Well-being (EHW) Facilitators we oriented on March 21 trained 1,207 junior public secondary school teachers and counselors on the effective delivery of Family Life and HIV Education (FLHE) in Lagos State.

Our 12 FLHE Master Trainers conducted this training across all six Lagos State Education Districts, bringing this vital knowledge directly to the teachers and counselors in their communities. We are grateful to the six Tutor Generals / Permanent Secretaries of Education for supporting this project by authorizing the Desk Officers to mobilize teachers and counselors across Lagos State to participate.

This initiative marks a significant milestone in strengthening the implementation of FLHE and EHW in public junior secondary schools. It was also a transformative experience for all the educators who participated, challenging their biases, shifting their mindsets, and igniting a renewed sense of purpose.

These teachers and counselors are now equipped to be catalysts for positive behavioral change in the lives of their adolescent students. As each school implements the participants’ action plans, we expect to see a ripple effect of this training with step-down training, school clubs, parental engagement, and community outreach.

Truly, when teachers and counselors are adequately trained and motivated, classrooms transform into safe spaces, and schools evolve into nurturing communities that foster informed decision-making, resilience, and holistic well-being among adolescents.