The National Dissemination Conference on the Expanded Life
Planning Education (ELPE) in Oyo State was held on February
09, 2004 at the Ladi Kwali Conference Hall, Sheraton Hotel
& Towers, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory.

The Conference which was declared opened by the Honourable
Minister for Education, Prof Fabian Osuji was attended by
representatives of the Honourable Minister for Health and
Chairman, National Action Committee on AIDS, International
Organisations. Also in attendance were Honourable
Commissioners for Education, Permanent Secretaries for
Education from some states and HIV/AIDS Schedule Officers
from State Ministries of Education. Others were parents,
teachers, students, media, social workers, researchers,
NGOs and other key stakeholders in the education and health
sector

The Honourable Minister who also launched the 35-minute
Video Documentary and a Glossy Publication on the project
described the project as one of the best practices in
recent times and described it as very complementary to the
National Family Life and HIV/AIDS Education programme. He
enjoined all stakeholders to initiate such initiatives that
are culturally sensitive and appropriate as HIV/AIDS
scourge had made such intervention urgent.

The aim of the one-day dissemination was to share the
experience of the partners and beneficiaries of the project
in Oyo State public secondary schools with other
stakeholders involved in adolescent reproductive health and
youth development and empowerment.

Specifically, the conference provided opportunity to
sensitising key stakeholders to the magnitude of
reproductive health problems amongst young people,
magnitude of ARH problems in Nigeria, justification for the
project, the rationale for school-based approach, the
project design process, management and implementation of
the project, successes, challenges and lessons.

The Abuja Conference was the second in the series as the
first Dissemination was held at Premier Hotel, Ibadan on
January 26, 2004 with the Deputy Governor of Oyo State,
Otunba Christopher Adebayo Alao-Akala, who reiterated the
commitment of the State Government to extend the programme
to all the schools in the state

The Expanded Life Planning Education (ELPE) Project in Oyo
State public secondary schools was managed and implemented
by Oyo State Government (Ministry of Education, Science and
Technology, Ministry of Health and 33 LGAs in Oyo State) in
collaboration with the Association for Reproductive and
Family Health (ARFH), Ibadan. The project clearly
demonstrates the feasibility of the integration of Life
Planning Education and HIV/AIDS into school curriculum, the
impact of mult-sectoral approach and the workability of
Government and NGO Partnership. The Department for
International Development (DFID) provided funding support
to the 4-year project (April 1999 – September 2003)

The Coordination of the project was managed through the
special structures (Project Coordinating Unit) established
in the Ministries of Education and Health with ARFH
providing technical assistance at all levels. The structure
in the Ministry of Education is now designated officially
as the LPE and HIV/AIDS Desk with staff to manage all
related activities.

The project implemented in 131 public secondary schools
succeeded in developing the capacity of 635 teachers to
effectively deliver LPE using classroom approach, trained
about 2500 students as peer educators to complement the
teachers, established 40 youth friendly clinics within
Primary Health Care facilities in all the 33 LGAs in Oyo
State. It alos trained 262 health care providers in youth
friendly services, user friendly resource materials
including a State approved curriculum produced and in use
in all the schools, instructional and IEC materials
including video tapes (SLOPE, TRAPPED and AYEGBEGE –
Delicate World).

In addition, capacity of 33 Local Inspectors of Education,
33 Primary Health Care Coordinators and 33 RH Supervisors
at the LGA level were built for effective monitoring and
supervision of the project at the LGA level. Capacity of
staff designated as project officers in the 2 Ministries
were also developed to manage and sustain the project

The Video Documentary and Glossy Publication is available
and could be mailed to interested persons at N2000 (within
Nigeria) and $65 (outside Nigeria) including the cost of
postage by courier. Request should include full mailing
address and Cheque (outside Nigeria) and Bank Draft (within
Nigeria) written in the name of Association for
Reproductive and Family Health, Ibadan. Our mailing address
is ARFH HOUSE, 815A Army Officers Mess Road, Ikolaba G.R.A,
Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria OR Box 30259, Secretariat,
Ibadan, Oyo State