UNESCO and Sweden visit SIDA-funded education programmes in Harare and partake in a drug prevention session with youth

Prof Lidia A. Brito, UNESCO Regional Director, and Her Excellency, Åsa Pehrson, the Swedish Ambassador to Zimbabwe, toured UNESCO and SIDA-funded education programmes in Harare on 19 September 2022. The delegation's first stop was Mt Pleasant High School in Harare, where they observed the competency-based curriculum in action during a Guidance and Counselling, Life Skills Education lesson. 40 Zimbabwe Form 2 students from Mt Pleasant High School in Harare followed an edifying lesson focusing on substance and drug abuse. This lesson is part of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education delivered in Zimbabwe via Guidance and Counselling, Life Skills Education learning area. During this specific lesson, the students were sensitised to many types of drugs and substances and identified the short- and long-term consequences of drug and substance usage. Short drama and group discussions helped the students participate and they took an active part in the interactive lesson. The local names of certain drugs and substances were used to increase awareness.

In her speech at the school, Her Excellency, Åsa Pehrson, the Swedish Ambassador to urged students to continue believing in themselves and to look within for answers when confronted with obstacles. She also noted how humbling it is to be in the presence of young people, considering their energy and understanding regarding solutions to problems that affect them. The Ambassador also offered to look at the possibility to establish a pen pal and north-south school twinning relationships between Form 2 students and their counterparts in Sweden.

UNESCO Regional Director, Prof. Lidia A. Brito thanked Sweden for the monetary support through SIDA that has enabled UNESCO to improve the ability of education systems in Zimbabwe to provide CSE lessons to students.

The same message was echoed by the Provincial Director of Education for Harare Province representing the Permanent Secretary for Primary and Secondary Education, Mr Chipunza who declared: "I would like to thank UNESCO and the Ambassador for their support, which is enhancing Zimbabwe's education system, as evidenced by the delivery of a Guidance and Counselling lesson by a well-trained and confident teacher who utilized a variety of participatory approaches to engage with her students." Mr. Parafini, DSI for Harare North, and other officials from Learner Welfare, School Psychological Services, and Special Needs Education were also present.

In the lesson on drug abuse, the teacher used a curriculum-based approach to teaching and learning about drug and substance abuse. Speakers commented on the relevance of the topic and the significance of educating students to prevent drug and substance abuse among this extremely susceptible population. Peer pressure, the breakdown of the familial support structure, a lack of understanding about the impacts of drug misuse, and stress have been highlighted as some of the leading causes of substance and drug addiction among Zimbabwe's youth. The prevalence of drug and substance abuse in Zimbabwe is increasing. The Zimbabwean government has reaffirmed its commitment to providing a thorough response to the situation.

Sweden and UNESCO took the opportunity of their visit to support inclusion in the school and helped a student with disability. Japhet Wirirai, a visually impaired student from Mt. Pleasant High School, received a laptop for maximum learning at this mainstream and inclusive school. Japhet relies on auxiliary technologies to study.

I struggled with my schoolwork because I did not have a functional laptop, but now that I have one, I know I can do my homework easily and work better in class.

Japhet Wirirai, Visually impaired student

To achieve inclusive education, UNESCO works to identify all barriers to education and remove them and covers everything from curricula to pedagogy and teaching.

Japhet a visually impaired student displays the laptop received from UNESCO

Thanks to the assistance of Sweden and other partners, UNESCO is supporting Ministries of Education in the delivery of good quality comprehensive sexuality education since 2013. The O3 Programme is focusing on the education sector to enhance and expand the delivery of comprehensive sexuality education.

Sweden support to the O3 Programme is central to help reduce new HIV infections, early and unintended pregnancy, gender-based violence, and child marriage. The O3 Programme is using life skills-based health education to equip adolescents and young people with the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and competencies required for their health and well-being. We are grateful to Sweden for their indispensable support that empowers adolescents and young people in sub-Saharan Africa.

Patricia Machawira, UNESCO Regional Advisor on Education for Health & Wellbeing

The delegation then proceeded to Chikurubi Prison and Correctional Service for a tour of the Sustainability Starts with Teachers (SST) project, that is improving children's access to Early Childhood Education for children jointly incarcerated with their mothers. The project is implemented by the Department of Early Childhood and Junior Education (DECJE) of the University of Zimbabwe.

The SST project at Chikurubi focuses on developing the competences of future teachers to handle Early Child Development classes in difficult circumstances, thereby complementing the Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (MoPSE) provision of pre-primary education to marginalised children in their formative years. The project produced play and teaching-learning materials for children jointly incarcerated with their mothers as well as engage the Prison and Correctional Service community, including the incarcerated mothers, in activities relating to learning and development of their children.

The member in charge of the institution highlighted that the support by UNESCO through the University of Zimbabwe is in line with the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Service's mandate of moving from a punitive facility to a correctional service.

The ambassador appreciating some of the teaching material produced by student teachers

Through these two projects and with the generous support of Sida, the UNESCO ROSA is collaborating with the two ministries of education in Zimbabwe to enhance the quality of education and the two programmes assist the government of Zimbabwe in addressing Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4, which is focused on the achievement of educational quality within a framework for lifelong learning.