New Delhi: Students exposed to Adolescence Education Programme in the country have higher levels of awareness and knowledge on a variety of issues like physical changes and HIV/AIDS compared to others, according to a new study conducted by the UN. The study -- Concurrent Evaluation of Adolescence Education -- conducted by United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) also suggested that the AEP has contributed in developing life skills of the students exposed to it.
A total of 21,967 students from various government and private schools in five states of Punjab, Orissa, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh participated in the concurrent evaluation programme, while 1,000 teachers and 200 school principals also took part.
Around 2,300 students, who were not exposed to the programme, also participated in the concurrent evaluation. "A higher proportion of AEP students, as compared to non-AEP, had knowledge about physical changes that take place during adolescence, especially with regard to menstruation and others," the study, which was released on Friday, said. A considerable knowledge gap exists between students` and teachers` knowledge, the study said.
The programme, the study says, has also contributed towards improving students` attitudes on several fronts, including taboos associated with physical changes and issues related to sexual harassment and discrimination towards HIV-positive persons and their children.
"The findings endorse that AEP has contributed towards enhancing knowledge of both students and teachers in a number of areas addressed in the programme, for example, physical changes during adolescence, nutrition and anaemia, HIV/AIDS and substance abuse," it said. PTI