Issiaka NGuessan | April 11, 2024
News Brief
In Bouaké, Côte d'Ivoire, specialized educator Brongué Coulibaly works with students at Classic and Modern High School No. 1 on sexual and reproductive health to prevent unwanted pregnancies. The initiative is part of a broader response to the country's high rate of student pregnancies, following the 2020 establishment of the National Policy on Sexual, Reproductive and Child Health. Educators, trained by the National Institute of Social Training, offer essential advice on contraception and disease prevention. The school's Health Club, led by student Fatoumata Kamagaté, also plays a key role in raising awareness among peers.
On a February morning at 10 a.m., it’s recess time at Classic and Modern High School No. 1 in Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire. Brongué Coulibaly, a specialized educator in sexual and reproductive health, is meeting with a group of students in her office. The students are there for advice on effective methods to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Miss Coulibaly says, “We educate the students about proper sexual and reproductive health practices because we’ve realized they’re not well informed.”
Specialists in sexual and reproductive health are assigned to schools throughout Côte d’Ivoire. They have been trained at the National Institute of Social Training to emphasize sexual and reproductive health in education. Miss Coulibaly explains, “We run activities to make students aware of sexual and reproductive health best practices.” Her work focuses on teaching contraception, menstruation management, and preventing unwanted pregnancies and sexually-transmitted infections.
Her advice isn’t limited to students at school. She says, “I also advise parents on supporting their pregnant daughters or sons who are soon-to-be fathers.” Moreover, she helps young mothers pursue their education.
The specialized educators also oversee the sexual and reproductive health awareness activities of the high school’s “Health Club.” Miss Coulibaly explains that at Classic and Modern High School No. 1, the health club organizes awareness events for school staff and students. This includes bringing in expert speakers, either to address the entire school or just to speak to the health club members.
Fatoumata Kamagaté is a student at the Classical and Modern High School of Bouaké and is the president of the school’s Health Club. The club has recently been addressing hygiene and menstruation, family planning, unwanted pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections thanks to the support of the Côte d’Ivoire Association of Well Being. She says, “We organize awareness days on contraceptive methods because the lack of sexual education among teenagers limits their knowledge.”
Dr. Albert Kouakou Yao is a sociology lecturer and researcher at Jean Lorougnon Guédé University in Daloa, in central-western Côte d’Ivoire. He says that the Directorate of Coordination of School and University Health Programs annually records about 5,000 pregnancies in a high school environment.
Responding to a surge in student pregnancies, Côte d’Ivoire implemented the National Policy on Sexual, Reproductive and Child Health in 2020, establishing a health service for schools and universities. Beyond medical care, this service provides sexual and reproductive health information to students.
The work of specialized educators in sexual and reproductive health is yielding results with the acceptance of dialogue on these topics in schools. Miss Coulibaly concludes: “Young people are increasingly speaking up about their concerns related to sexual and reproductive health, romantic relationships, contraception, and sexually transmitted infections.”
This resource was produced with funding from the PASSERELLE project, which is implemented in partnership with WUSC thanks to funding from Global Affairs Canada.