Ministry, UN agency addressing adolescence problems in Oman

Muscat: Some 30 trainees from across the Sultanate attended a five-day workshop focused on the adolescent stage of life and its implications, organised by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).
The Ministry of Education (MoE), represented by the General Directorate of the Education Programmes, along with UNFPA-GCC sub-regional office based in Muscat, began its second five-day workshop, that is aimed at training health educators, school nurses and psychological specialists to deal with adolescence.
“The programme was an outcome of the sustained co-operation with the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health (MoH) in 2017,” said Shaima Aly, communication coordinator at UNFPA.
The 30 trainees who attended the workshop were from both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health, 20 of whom were from the five governorates in Oman.
The goal was to introduce the trainees to the methods used to convey messages about the health of adolescents, provide them with the skills to take decisions regarding adolescent issues and to increase the self-confidence of students.
“The training will focus on important aspects of the lives of young men and women, and improve the communication skills of the trainees to address the issues associated with this stage of life, as well as enhance their general knowledge about ways to solve the challenges faced by young students. This programme is compatible with the United Nations Population Fund’s mandate to improve the lives of women and youth,” she added.
The attendees also learned how to design protective programmes to deal with the psychological, social and physical problems of adolescents, such as improper health habits, lack of self-esteem and drug abuse.
Dr. Reyem Rabah, International Health and Social Trainer from Lebanon, was recruited for this training.
Earlier this year, the first phase was organised by the UNFPA and the MoH.
The five-day workshop targeted adolescent issues in Oman, including road safety, drug abuse, non-communicable diseases and sexually transmitted diseases.