By Isaac Newton Tetteh
Sebrepor, Sept. 17, GNA-Mrs Henrietta Agyeiwaa Gyaba, Kpone Katamanso Municipal Adolescent Health Coordinator, has urged adolescents to take advantage of peer education programmes to acquire relevant information and skills to help them navigate the transition into adulthood.
Mrs Gyaba said educating young people about the physical, emotional, and social changes associated with adolescence was essential to building their confidence and enabling them to make informed decisions.
She made the call during a peer education seminar organised for students from selected schools within the Kpone Katamanso Municipality at the Christ the King Presbyterian Church at Sebrepor.
The seminar brought together students from Sebrepor Presbyterian School A, Gbetsile Basic School, and St. Lawson School.
Mrs Gyaba said the programme was specifically targeted at students from selected schools in the municipality as part of efforts to equip them with accurate information on adolescent health and related issues.
She said it was necessary to build the confidence of adolescents by arming them with the needed information about the changes that came with their transition into adulthood.
According to her, several adolescents suffered various forms of abuse in silence, a situation she said could negatively affect their development and general wellbeing.
She called for increased attention to the concerns of adolescents and encouraged stakeholders, parents, teachers, and the wider community to create safe environments where young people could freely discuss their challenges and seek appropriate assistance.
Mrs Gyaba identified puberty, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), among other social vices, as issues that required serious attention from major stakeholders concerned with child development.
She said peer education could provide adolescents with an avenue to learn from one another, share experiences and develop the confidence to seek help when confronted with challenges.
The adolescent health coordinator encouraged the students to become responsible peer educators by sharing accurate information with their mates and avoiding the spread of misinformation.
She urged them to report cases of abuse and other threats to their safety to trusted adults or the appropriate authorities.
The seminar formed part of efforts to promote adolescent health education and empower young people with knowledge to support their healthy development.
GNA
Edited by Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo/Linda Asante Agyei
Reporter: Isaac Newton Tetteh