In continuation of our training programme in Sexuality Education which started in 2002 in public schools in Niger State, the year 2005 witnessed a massive training programme to obtain a critical mass of trained teachers to handle Sexuality Education in public schools in Niger State.

Following the successful establishment of common grounds by the Centre for Communication and Reproductive Health Services (CCHRS) and the Niger State Ministry of Education (MOE) through signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the 31st of December, 2004 and a well attended sensitization workshop for Principals of Secondary Schools in Niger State on the 23rd of March, 2005, the tone for a hitch-free training for teachers of Integrated Science and Social Studies for the implementation of the national curriculum on SE in Niger State was set. In all, thirty (30) schools in Zone 'A', twenty-six (26) schools from Zone 'B' and sixteen (16) schools from Zone 'C' were selected for the purpose of this training. Interestingly, the distribution represents the proportion of schools in the three zones in Niger State.

Formal welcome and introduction ceremony was done with self introduction of participants, their schools and workshop expectations.

The tone of the workshop was set with the setting of grand rules and regulations.

The high point of this welcome and introduction ceremony was the common expectations of participants bothering on issues like increasing and improving their knowledge and skills that will equip them as vanguard and agents of change in their respective schools and communities as well as been able to deal with concerns and impediments in the implementation of SE in our school system.

In all the zones, inventory of participants' knowledge and attitudes (pre-test) were taken to ascertain the level of exposure of participants on key concepts in Sexuality Education curriculum at the commencement of the training. This was followed by the training overview session that exposed participants to enormity of tasks ahead which must be accomplished at the end of the training.

The training continued on day one through the seventh day dealing with basic concepts and topics in the national curriculum on Sexuality Education.

These seven days witnessed several commendable facilitating skills ranging from role play, group activities, participants' debates and arguments on issues that emanated from the curriculum. Some of the topics covered in the curriculum within this period included Value Voting and Activities; Self Esteem; Body Image; Media and Sexuality; Puberty; Sexuality Across Life Span; Anatomy; Myths and Facts about Reproduction, Contraception, Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Infections, HIV and AIDS Risks and Abstinence.

In all the days, video viewing, questions and answers sessions, breaks (tea and lunch breaks), critiques, ice breaker and warm - up were common features.

The eighth and the ninth days were used for practicum in selected Secondary Schools in each of the three zones and the last day (10th day) was used for the closing ceremony.

On each day of the practicum, participants converged at the training venue for critique of the practicum sessions and on the second day of the practicum; participants took the post - test to gauge their improvement in knowledge and attitudes in Sexuality Education concepts.

In the last day of the training, activities like issuing of communiqué, signing of implementation agreement, briefing by the ministry officials on the implementation strategy, song and poem competition, evaluation of the entire training programme and distribution of certificates were carried out. In the entire zones, 140 teachers from 72 schools out of the expected 144 teachers benefited from the training.

This represents 97% success rate.

In the coming year more teachers are expected to be trained while efforts are been intensified to organise re - training for teachers that have benefited to enhance and sharpen their skills and knowledge in handling the concept of Sexuality Education in our schools.