Health Interactive with Dr. Aminu Magashi

Northern Nigeria and Sexuality Education Curriculum

:healthinteractive@hotmail.com

 

 

The dichotomy between Southern and Northern Nigeria is palpable in every aspect of life, not only the huge gap in terms of educational development, but also in health care delivery system, presence of functional manufacturing industries and International Development Partners. Southern Nigeria is indeed far ahead of its counterpart north. When in 2004 Northern Nigeria engulfed in controversy over the safety of Polio Vaccine being administered to children below Five years, it was obvious then, that the fight was between the North and the International Development Partners under the Global Polio Eradication.

 

With respect to Sexuality Education Curriculum, the reader may wish to remember that in 2002 when the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) in conjunction with the Federal Ministry of Education, civil societies and many other International Development Partners drafted and proposed a curriculum on Sexuality Education for both primary and secondary schools, it was received  with mixed feelings and generated raging controversy especially in Northern Nigeria . Within a very short time, the discussion on its acceptability or otherwise was hijacked by religious leaders and other gatekeepers and was given different connotations and coloration. Then the media was awash with all sort of comments, a journalist reportedly mentioned that, “The curriculum contains significant portions that fester with the pus of reckless moral indiscretion which can outrage the sensibilities of parents, teachers and moralists of all shades.”

 

While I am of the firm belief that Sexuality Education Curriculum is the answer to most of the problems leading to high Maternal Mortality Ratio , the unacceptable prevalence of HIV/AIDS and Sexuality Transmitted Infections ( STIs ) , never the less,  I am not blind to note that, the initiators while introducing the concept have not done adequate advocacy to policy makers and other gate- keepers across the federation and to educate the public on its importance and have not also build a cross cutting and wide range of partnership to ensure acceptability of the curriculum  .

 

In trying to fathom the rationale behind rejection and the way out of the doldrums in Northern Nigeria, we need to look at the health and social problems bedeviling our societies which of course require deeper thoughts and sustain solution.

 

Nigeria’s Maternal Mortality Ratio is about 948/100,000 live birth with a range between 300 and 1,700/100,000 live births. In a recent research conducted by Society of Gynecologist  and Obstetricians   of Nigeria  ( SOGON ) in 6 states of Nigeria ( Lagos , Enugu , Cross River , Plateau , Borno and Kano ) , the Maternal Mortality Ratios of some of the states in the North is found to be above 3000 death /100, 1000 live birth . At the rate women are dying during pregnancy, we are approaching a scenario of having one death out of every ten live birth. Nigeria is accounting for 10 % of the global estimate of Maternal Mortality Ratio, even though our population only accounts for 2 % of the world population. While many developed nations are working tirelessly to reduce their Maternal Mortality Ratio of the range of 7 to 20 per 100,000 live births. In Nigeria, we are still dangling around 1000 per 100, 000 live birth of Maternal Mortality Ratio (MMR )

 

Factors that contribute  to high MMR , amongst others are : Obstructed Labour which is associated with early pregnancy , Eclampsia which is seen mostly among young women below 18 years during first pregnancy , Unsafe Abortion which is associated with unplanned pregnancy and lack of access to correct  information and services  on Reproductive Health  . All these problems are mostly seen among adolescent women within the age bracket of being either in primary or secondary schools.

 

With respect to HIV/AIDS , Nigeria’s prevalence of 1999 , 2001 , 2003 were found to be 5.4% , 5.8 % and 5.2 % respectively and the country is having about 4 Million of its population living and infected with HIV/AIDS . Based on the National Demographic Health Surveys ( NDHS ) , adolescent youths below the age of Twenty Four years are the most vulnerable and affected by the HIV/AIDS saga . If one visit any STI center across the federation one is bound to witness the influx of youths with all sot  of STIs seeking for treatment.

 

For the country to invest and safe guard its future, it must invest in its young population through empowerment schemes and provision of quality and adequate and correct information on diverge range of issues. The antagonists of Sexuality Education are of the belief that teaching such  will equally lead to some of the problems mentioned above , but I believe that is far from it . Already if one look at the nature of our society, the adolescent youths with their adventurous nature have other informal access to information through Internet , Satellite cables and Magazines and controlling that portal will remain a Herculean task to all of us . Unfortunately majority of the information being released by such Media are counter productive and capable of leading to early initiation of sexual intercourse which will lead to unplanned pregnancy, unsafe abortion and exposure to HIV and other STIs and at times ultimate Death.

 

I strongly believe that ,  the proponents of Sexuality Education have that at the back of their mind . Another worrisome phenomenon is confusion and mixing Sexuality with Sex Education , they are not the same . Sexuality encompasses our entire life, values , norms , culture , gender and religion  , how people perceive their bodies , sexual orientation and behavior, reproduction and process of procreation . As I mentioned earlier on, in initiating the process of proposing Sexuality Education by NERDC and its local and international partners ,  proper home work was not done to articulate stand and engage the country in a national dialogue for proper understanding and equally making contribution of the curriculum content.

 

In conclusion, I believe it is not too late to do that and below are my recommendations

 

  • There is no point for Civil Societies in Northern Nigeria to be surreptitiously teaching or introducing Sexuality Education Curriculum to schools , but rather they should act from the angle of strength not weakness to engage every body through a sincere and meaningful dialogue , be it parents , teachers or religious leaders and other interested stakeholders about the need for Sexuality Education and for every body to participate and make contribution accordingly

 

  • That way the curriculum will be owned by the society and in that respect the Media as the fourth arm of  government must be involved to catalyze sustain debate and discussion on sexuality issues , but that can only be possible and effective if they are equally well informed and  trained on sexuality matters .

 

Dr Magashi is the Executive Director of Community Health and Research Initiative, Kano  , Nigeria and can be reached at  healthinteractive@hotmail.com