From 12 July 2022 to 20 July 2022, with the support of UNFPA, UNESCO, Imbuto Foundation, REB conducted a training for 70 Master Trainers from all corners of the country on Comprehensive Sexuality Education.

The training targeted Teachers and selected seasoned SRH trainers, including district education teams, national staff at the Rwanda Basic Education Board, and civil society. A core team composed of a regional Technical Officer and selected CSE Master Trainers from REB, Swiss TPH, and UNFPA held preparatory meetings to jointly plan and consequently conducted the training. UNFPA provided the Primary and Secondary Education Teachers’ Reference Books as resource materials during and after the teacher training.

Some of the objectives of this training was to enabled participants  with relevant knowledge about the youth sexual and reproductive health trends and data within the region and country; definition of  sexuality education and its benefits, and counter myths; Locating at least four age-appropriate learning objectives by age range and topic recommended in the International Sexuality Education Guidelines across a range of topics; Contrast and arrange the stages of adolescent development and acknowledge characteristics of healthy adolescent development;  identifying the five circles of sexuality and describe at least one component of each circle; Demonstrating awareness of personal values, beliefs, biases, and experiences related to sexuality and acknowledge the importance of not asserting one's beliefs and biases onto learners; Identifying and applying at least three principles for effective learning and describe strategies for assessing learning; Developing and applying questions that take learners through the stages of the experiential learning cycle; characterizing commonly used activities and describe at least three techniques for assessment; Identifying and demonstrating at least three characteristics of an effective facilitator; Assessing potential consequences of disclosing personal information in an educational setting; Practice responding to difficult questions; Assessing and reflect on the application of modeled Comprehensive Sexuality Education activities; Acquiring an understanding of core content areas of sexuality education, including reproductive anatomy and physiology, adolescent development, puberty, pregnancy, contraception, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, supporting people living with HIV/AIDS, gender, harmful traditional practices, relationships, communication, decision-making, and health services; Describing laws and policies that impact sexuality education, reflect on why it is important to be aware of these and identify potential sources for getting more information.

Julienne Mukayirege, a representative of Rwanda Basic Education Board, who is also a Master Trainer explained the gender as part of Comprehensive Sexuality Education in following subtopics.: She started by really explaining why uttering sexes in our culture is like taboos and how it is related to Gender, she made some challenges through a role play to demonstrate the differences in gender and similarities and complementarity, through various proverbs which promote or demote gender, participants tried to understand gender and how it is linked to various cultures.

It is expected that at the end of the training the participants will be equipped with knowledge and skills to plan, deliver and report on Comprehensive Sexuality Education Teacher Training using learner-cantered methodologies, participants will be familiarized with CSE topics integrated into the Competence-based curriculum, participants are now able to demonstrate mastery in using adult learning methodologies.

Some researches do say that some teachers do fear to teach Sexuality Education because of many reasons. Fear is deeply rooted in the discomfort and non-acceptance of certain sexual realities. Usually, this comes from religious teachings, that define what healthy and proper sexual behaviour looks like. Parents are afraid that open and honest discussions about sex, will lead to greater comfort with topics like sexual orientation, abortion, masturbation and others, and if children are more comfortable with these topics, then they will become more inclined to tolerate, accept and even indulge in what is considered to be sinful or shameful.

Akarikumutima Regine, a Master Trainer says: This training is going to have a big impact on the performance of teachers in teaching Comprehensive Sexuality Education. Teachers will now have clear guidance & no longer fear to teach Sexuality matters

Bimenyimana Jeremie, a Master Trainers mentioned the training has impacted him and of course the fellow teachers will also benefit a lot from him, “Training has helped me to gain knowledge & ability to help my fellow teachers to understand better the changes in the human body in terms of reproductive sex &how to help students understand it from young age to adulthood.”

Comprehensive Sexuality Education is integrated into 5 subjects of the Competence-Based Curriculum; 2 in Primary schools (SET &Social Studies) &3 in Secondary Schools,namely,Biology &Health Sciences,General Studies,&Communication Skills,including History& Citizenship.

This integration means that we have stand-alone topics in those subjects. For example: Personal Hygiene, Culture of peace, Genocide prevention and financial education in Social studies; Reproductive system in SET and Biology; etc.

REB has trained all teachers of those career subjects in 2017and all primary teachers have received a CSE toolkit.

In 2020 REB has distributed a reference book for Secondary schools from S1 to S6. In this book we have 13 topics which are: Personal, family and community values , The social construction of gender , Culture society and sexuality, Adolescent development, Human sexuality, Relationships, Communication skills, Preventing pregnancy, Sexually transmitted infections (STIs), HIV and AIDS, Planning for the future, Parenting and Human rights

In all the above  topics REB provides enough information for teachers and students, to get knowledge, skills, attitude and values necessary for their life at and after the school.

Both the Ministry of Education- National School Health Policy and Strategic Plan (2014) and Ministry of Ministry of Health,-Family Planning and Adolescents Sexual &Reproductive Health Strategic Plan (2018-2024) provides strategic guidance supporting Comprehensive Sexuality Education.

It is expected that after this training , Master Trainers will spread the message to teachers around 15,000 teachers across the country, and this will improve the way in which Sexuality Education is being taught in education sector.

This training was facilitated by regional project officer for O3 project/UNESCO (Eastern &Southern Africa): Marie France Agblo-Hientz, UNFPA staff: Bernadette Ssebadduka, Siraji Furaha, NPO/UNESCO-RWANDA: Dr. Ben Alexandre MPOZEMBIZI, CSE Master trainers: Janvier NTIBIZERWA (REB staff), Julienne Mukayirege (REB staff), Aloys Kayinamura (Math specialist in REB), Innocent Uwimana (REB staff) and Georgette Mutabazi (Consultant/Adolescent Health national trainer).

Akarikumutima Regine, a Master Trainer in Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Bimenyimana Jeremie, a Master Trainer in Comprehensive Sexuality Education.

Some of representatives of Rwanda Basic Education Board were present.

Different  Master Trainers were keenly following the Comprehensive Sexuality Education Training.

Different  Master Trainers were keenly following the Comprehensive Sexuality Education Training.

Different Master Trainers were keenly following the Comprehensive Sexuality Education Training.

Different Master Trainers were keenly following the Comprehensive Sexuality Education Training.

Trainers of Comprehensive Sexuality Education had the passion to share their knowledge and experience.

Trainers of Comprehensive Sexuality Education had the passion to share their knowledge and experience.

Comprehensive Sexuality Education Materials are distributed to all participants as added source of knowledge .

Comprehensive Sexuality Education Materials are distributed to all participants as added source of knowledge .

International &Local Master Trainers and Trainees paused for the group photo.