24 teachers from 12 vocational education and training (VET) institutions have updated their knowledge and teaching methods on the curriculum content of the „Decisions for a healthy lifestyle” course in a comprehensive 11-month training programme, during August 2020 – June 2021. This is the 1st refreshment training in the past six years provided for the teachers of “Decisions for a healthy lifestyle”, with the support of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and Austrian Development Agency.
The “Decisions for a healthy lifestyle” course is mandatory in all colleges and Centres of Excellence (ISCED IV) and optional - in professional schools (level III ISCED), and helps students acquire knowledge and skills for a healthy development and better job readiness.
The learning program for teachers covered all 17 subjects of the course curriculum, including values in decision making, sexual abuse, puberty and adolescence, prevention of STIs and HIV / AIDS, stress management, reference systems that support a healthy lifestyle etc. It was delivered by renowned experts in the field of prevention of gender-based violence, psychology and adolescent health and development.
The session on "Prevention of gender-based violence and reporting of sexual harassment" was organized jointly with UN Women. UNFPA and UN Women have joined efforts to strengthen the capacity of the VET system to address issues related to gender-based violence.
“As a result of the refreshment programme, we have now a very well organized support for the lessons. We have a set of examples based on real life situations, which students are very interested in, and from which they understand and learn better. We gathered a lot of information, presentations, movies that will be very useful in teaching the course topics” says Anna Uscatu, teacher of “Decisions for a healthy lifestyle” at the Center of Excellence in Food Services and Processing, Balti.
A recent Study to evaluate the knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding the health and life skills of students in Vocational Education and Training in the Republic of Moldova shows that students studying the course “Decisions for a healthy lifestyle” have better knowledge, and less risky practices related to their health, being better socially prepared for the job market needs. One of the recommendations resulting from the study is to diversify the content and teaching methodology for the course.
“We have received a lot of support materials that now we can use in the modern equipped friendly classrooms. We will be able to make the lessons more interactive and interesting with video screening, play roles etc., applying various teaching methods. It will no longer be just a theoretical approach to the topics, but we will be able to communicate more. We were in need of such intensive training since long ago” says Tatiana Chilaru, teacher of “Decisions for a healthy lifestyle" at the Polytechnic College, Balti.
The learning programme was organized in the framework of the project “Develop life skills and healthy behaviors of students in Vocational Education & Training for their development and job readiness”, implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) with funding support of Austrian Development Agency (ADA) from funds of Austrian Development Cooperation in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Culture and Research.
