Family life education training for teachers opens in Tamale

Tamale, April 26, GNA - The Deputy Ameer of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Mission, Hafiz Ahmad Saeed, on Tuesday urged increased involvement in family life education by religious bodies to tackle issues relating to pre-marital sex, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

He was opening a training of trainers workshop for 30 teachers of primary and junior secondary schools of the Mission in Tamale. The three-day course was designed to equip the participants to teach their pupils and community members how to protect themselves against AIDS and STDs.

He said people must be educated to show compassion towards victims of AIDS instead of isolating and leaving them to their fate. Pastor E.O. Abbey, President of the Northern Mission of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, said pre-marital sex is condemned by both the Koran and the Bible and the youth need guidance to avoid falling foul to it.

He stressed the need for a joint effort by religious bodies and civil society to transform drug addicts and thieves and to counsel the youth to abstain from pre-marital sex.

Mr Simon Y. Larry, Northern Regional Organiser of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG), said family life education should not only inform the youth on the dangers of promiscuous life but must also see to their proper moral upbringing.

He said the prices of condoms and other contraceptives are heavily subsidised to encourage their usage and to protect people against contracting the AIDS virus. Mr P.T. Awudu, Regional Manager of the Ahmadiyya Education Unit, said teachers have an important role in mobilising and motivating their pupils and parents to appreciate family life education.

He stressed that the sexuality, personal hygiene and behavioural attitudes of especially children need to be protected in the face of the present high risk of contracting STDs.

Mr Nurudeen Moomen, Acting Regional President of the Ahmadiyya Mission, who chaired the function, said the task for all is to understand what family life entails to be able to collaborate to check the menace of STDs.