The government has decided to reintroduce the Life Skills package, initiated by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), in the schools in the Maldives.

Speaking at a press conference at Nasandhura Palace Hotel today to release the ‘Status of World Population 2013’ report, Education Minister Dr Aishath Shiham said that the Life Skills package will be reintroduced at the start of the academic year in 2014.

“This programme, aimed at increasing sexual awareness among adolescents, was the most systematic and best programme conducted for the prevention of this problem [of adolescent pregnancy]. More than one thousand facilitators were trained earlier to conduct the programme. I would like to announce that UNFPA’s Life Skills package will be reintroduced at the start of the new academic year,” she said.

She said that higher education centres in the country will be advised to include Life Skills in teacher training programmes.