About the Project
In the State of Odisha, UNFPA has partnered with the Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences (KISS) to provide life-skills-based Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) education since 2009. In the past four years, a critical mass of resource persons and appropriate communication and resource materials have been developed. In 2012 (Phase – I), this initiative was extended to 121 residential high schools under the ST & SC Development (SSD) Department and 17 Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas (KGBVs) under the School & Mass Education (S&ME) Department. In 2013 (Phase – II), an additional 79 residential high schools under the SSD Department and 84 KGBVs under the S&ME Department were covered. In these schools, nodal teachers were selected and trained to undertake life-skills-based SRH sessions for 7th, 8th and 9th grade students. Sensitization programs were organized at district level for key officials and in schools for Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) and School Management and Development Committees (SMDCs).
One of the significant features of this State is that around two fifths of its population is represented by ST and SC communities. In order to enhance the reach and access to education for disadvantaged communities, the SSD Department has established residential schools. The department currently runs 318 residential high schools in the State. By 2013, 200 SSD high schools were covered in nine districts, namely Ganjam, Gajapati, Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Keonjhar, Koraput, Malkanagiri, Nabarangapur and Rayagada.
It is proposed to cover the remaining 118 SSD high schools across the State during 2014 (Phase-III). In the State, 182 KGBVs have been established for upper primary-level education for girls belonging predominantly to SC, ST, OBC and minority communities in the Educationally Backward Blocks (EBBs). Currently 101 KGBV schools are covered under the intervention in above nine districts and it is proposed to cover the State’s remaining 81 KGBVs in 2014 (Phase – III). There would be about 1,500 trained nodal teachers from 500 schools (SSD – 318 and KGBV – 182) to provide LSE sessions and 105 empanelled resource persons at district level for capacity building and monitoring by the end of 2014. Age-appropriate life-skills-based SRH education will be provided in these schools to help adolescents grow up safely and better informed. Advocacy will continue with the S&ME Department for Integration of the ARSH intervention through the Board of Secondary Education (BSE). There are 26 Teacher Training Institutions (TTIs) in the State, and measures will be taken for capacity building of TTI faculty and tutors to provide SRH education sessions in pre-service and in-service teachers training programs.