CARICOM Multi-Agency Health Family Life Education Project: Summary Report of Trinidad and Tobago Needs Assessment Study (Students 15+ Years Old)
Date
1997-10
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
School of Education, UWI
Abstract
The HFLE Needs Assessment Study was carried out to obtain data on student knowledge and views about health lifestyles, a range of psycho-social issues affecting youth, and some aspects of the modus-operandi of the existing HFLE curriculum. It also sought to explore the problems, concerns, and values of young people; possible goals, outcomes and teaching and assessment methods of HFLE; and factors affecting the teaching of HFLE. The intended respondents were students in primary and secondary schools, and their teachers, principals and parents. This report summarizes and discusses the responses of Trinidadian secondary school students 15 years and over. For this age group the major sources of help/advice are friends, parents, doctor/nurse, counsellors and teachers, in that order. Religious leaders were not chosen as an important source of help/advice. The students felt the need for more information on such topics as parenting, managing stress, their physical growth, and decision-making. In terms of the teaching of HFLE, there was a clear preference for, a) the teaching of life skills, b) single sex classes; 2) field trips, reading and interacting with resource persons; and d) greater use of audio-visual materials in HFLE classes. They did not want HFLE to be an examinable subject in school of Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) examinations. They saw the major problems facing young people as lack of jobs, drug abuse, violence, lack of understanding by adults, and sexual abuse. Few students thought that any of the social agencies was doing enough for young people.
Description
CARICOM Multi-Agency Health Family Life Education Project
Table of Contents
Keywords
health and family life education, HFLE, needs assessment