Lessons from an intervention study on the sustainability of after-school comprehensive sexuality education in Zambia: the perspectives of teachers, health workers and guardians

Case Studies & Research
2024
p. 1-11
Periodical title
Reproductive Health 21, 191

This study looked at the sustainability of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in Zambia, delivered through after school youth clubs. These clubs were part of a larger project that also provided economic support to adolescent girls and organized community meetings. The clubs were run by a teacher and a community health worker (CHW), who were trained and given financial incentives to hold meetings every two weeks. Two years after the project ended, interviews were conducted with various stakeholders. While CHWs were generally in favor of teaching about contraception, some teachers emphasized abstinence as the best way to avoid pregnancy and diseases. Despite these differing views, all were willing to continue teaching CSE, including contraception. However, only a few schools continued the youth club meetings after the project ended. This was due to trained teachers being transferred, lack of training for remaining staff, loss of support and resources, limited school management involvement in the CSE initiative, and the need to focus on other projects. To ensure the sustainability of CSE initiatives, more teachers in each school should be trained, and continued support and encouragement should be provided.

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