The remainder of the workshop was given over to a discussion of subject matter, teaching materials and strategies for integration of population education into programmes for out-of-school rural youth. The participants first met in plenary session on each topic to set general discussions guidelines and clarify priorities. Then, to facilitate participation by all, the participants divided into three working groups, each with a chairman and a reporter. The groups reported on their findings to the plenary and general conclusions were drawn. The workshop agenda, and discussion handouts are attached as Annexes 4 and 5, respectively.
The participants reviewed the following ten topics which had been suggested for consideration in designing a population education programme for out-of-school rural youth:
The workshop participants confirmed the importance of all ten topics and ranked them in the following order of importance:
1. Human growth and development
2. The relationship between population and the environment
3. Population and .factors which provoke changes in population
4. The family and family size
5. The relationship between population and employment/income
" " The relationship between population and development
7. The relationship between population and agriculture
8. Reponsible parenthood
9. The relationship between population and nutrition
" " The relationship between population and health
The participants also initially suggested that an eleventh topic be added, entitled, "The relationship between population and educational and training opportunities."
The participants then discussed each of the subject matter topics in turn, first in working groups and then in plenary session. In many cases, the participants recommended changes in the language of the discussion handouts. The revised aims and concepts are presented below as part of the summary of discussions. Comparison to the original may be made by referring to Annex 5.
Human growth and development
Revised aims/objectives:
Revised basic concepts:
There was general agreement that a good starting point for this topic was the concept that all living things reproduce. The participants felt that this could be used as a smooth transition into a topic that is sometimes viewed as difficult to approach.
The participants stressed the importance of emotional maturity in population-related decision making. They noted that, in most cases, people are physically able to have children significantly before they are emotionally mature enough to be good parents. The participants referred to suggested minimum ages for marriage of 20 years in girls and 23 years in boys.
On a related topic, the participants urged that youth be informed about legislation on sexual practices including legal age of consent; rape; statutory rape; and abortion.
The relationship between population and the environment
Revised aims/objectives:
Revised basic contents:
The participants felt that environmental issues were of primary importance in Zimbabwe and fully appreciated the connection between population growth and pressure on the environment.
The participants noted that there is not one "environment" but several inter-dependent ones including the home, the local community, the nation, the natural surroundings, etc. They stressed that youth should understand the potential effects of population growth on each of these environments .
In terms of the relationship between population and natural resources (air, water, agricultural land, livestock, minerals, etc.) the participants felt that youth must understand the need to manage these resources for the use of present and future generations.
Population and factors which provoke changes in population
Revised aims/objectives:
Revised basic contents:
The participants agreed that the basic contents of this subject were an important part of a population education programme. They recognized the importance of keeping the discussion at a village or community level so that the numbers would be relevant to rural youth.
They indicated that the definition of over-population needed to be related to the available resources in each village or community, but noted that over-population also needed to be considered on a national scale in Zimbabwe.
The family and family size
Revised aims/objectives:
Revised basic concepts:
The participants felt the key concept in this topic was that the choice of family size rests with the youth themselves. They stressed that youth must fully understand the roles of the various family members, from both legal and social perspectives.
The participants also spent considerable time in revising the original definition of a family as people descended from a common ancestor or ancestors. They pointed out that, especially in the African context, family members often were united by custom rather than by blood or legal ties. For example, adoption of children without legal procedings is common.
There was general agreement that the concept of child spacing was also relevant in this topic as a contributing factor to both family size and structure.
The relationship between population and employment/income
Revised aims/objectives:
Revised basic contents:
The participants suggested that the relationship between population and employment/income was strongly affected by a third factor, that of available resources. They noted, for example, that the relationship would be vey different in two rural areas if one of these areas also held mines and mineral resources.
They stressed the need among youth and rural youth in particular for career guidance and counseling. It was noted that proper use of resources could increase employment opportunities while unchecked population growth could lead to the depletion of these resources. This was felt to be extremely important in the context of land allocation.
Several of the participants noted that the word "income" might not be appropriate in the rural areas where a significant portion of family worth was calculated in terms of posessions or "in kind" rather than. in cash. They suggested that "family wealth" might be more appropriate than "family income."
The relationship between population and development
Revised titleThe relationship between rapid population growth and personal development
Revised aims/objectives:
Revised basic contents:
There was considerable discussion about the title of this subject. Even after accepting the revised title, some of the participants felt that the word "development" had too broad a connotation and should have been changed. The project organizers will bear this in mind when producing the prototype leader's guide.
The participants noted that there was a need for rural youth to actively plan their futures and to take population issues (family size as well as overall village, community and even national population) into account in this planning process.
It was decided that the impact of population growth and family size on educational opportunities could be discussed in this topic. As a result, the original suggestion that a separate topic on education be developed was withdrawn.
The participants felt that the concept of choice in family size could be stressed again a part of this topic (it also appears in the topic on family and family size).
The relationship between population and agriculture
Revised aims/objectives:
Revised basic concepts:
The participants noted that the increase in the rate of population growth in Zimbabwe was creating a parallel rise in the demand for agricultural products. They observed that this would require increased production, largely through improved utilization of agricultural lands. They cautioned against land allocation in parcels that were too small to be economically viable. The participants stressed the need for increased employment opportunities in the rural areas to combat the phenomenon of rural-to-urban migration. They also indicated that re- settlement schemes needed to be carefully planned and executed .
The issue of rural non-farm employment was also discussed. Off-farm agriculturally-related services are needed in many rural communities. These activities can provide employment and on-the-job training for rural youth.
Responsible parenthood
Revised aims/objectives:
Revised basic contents:
The participants felt strongly that the concept of responsible parenthood was a very personal and individual one. They suggested that responsible parenthood should be defined by the youth themselves in discussions under the guidance of the group leader.
They felt that means of achieving the desired family size, i.e., child spacing, delayed marriage, delayed pregnancy, etc., were of basic importance to the topic of responsible parenthood. Later marriages were thought to lead to more responsible actions as a parent .
The relationship between population and nutrition
Revised aims/objectives:
Revised basic contents:
The participants stressed the need for good nutrition and food-value information for rural youth. Several participants suggested the addition of information on proper food preparation techniques to this section.
The value of breast-feeding was highlighted, both in terms of its nutritional benefits and the inherent child-spacing effects. The participant from the Ministry of Health noted the importance of timing in weaning (i.e., the addition of solid food to the baby's diet) and severing as a nutrition and population-related issue.
The relationship between population and health
Revised aims / objectives:
Revised basic contents:
The participants agreed on the basic contents of this subject. Several participants noted the close connection between the topics of nutrition and health.
The relationship between the rate of population growth and the quality and availability of health care and facilities was stressed. In this context, the impact of population size on sanitation facilities and therefore on health was also noted.
Information on drug and alcohol abuse was also highlighted as being an important part of health training for rural youth.
The main objective of this session was to describe the appropriate style and format for population education materials which would be useful in rural youth groups. The participants considered the use of the following materials suggested by the workshop handout:
The session on teaching materials began with a discussion of the probable education level of youth group members and their leaders. Initial feeling put the education level quite high, but in subsequent working group discussions it was agreed that Grade 7 to Form II would be the appropriate level for the leader's guide and teaching materials. The participants agreed that materials produced at this level might be too elementary for some groups and their leaders; however, they felt that it was better to be a little too simple for some than to be too complex for many. They also noted. that the basic materials could be supplemented by more advanced ones in area where this was warranted.
Leader's guide
In the workshop handout on teaching materials, it was suggested that the leader's guide should serve four functions:
This concept of the leader's guide met with strong support from the participants. They felt that a self-contained guide would be practical and also would instill confidence in the youth leader. They also noted that the leader's guide would give the group leaders a way of measuring their progress in delivering the population education message. Several participants compared the leader's guide to a "tool box", containing all the equipment necessary to do the job.
In the discussion, it was noted that the leader's guide (as well as other materials) would have to be approved by the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture before being used, and would have to be tested at the field level before being distributed nationally.
FlannelboardsThe participants were familiar with flannelboards and indicated that they had several advantageous characteristics: they can be easily set up, moved and arranged, and used over and over again. They stressed the potential for stimulating student participation and motivation. However, they also noted that the flannelboards required considerable care to ensure that they did not become water-soaked or otherwise damaged. The size and weight of the flannelboards was also felt to be of significant importance -- unless they could be produced in a relatively small size and out of lightweight materials, the participants felt the flannelboards could prove too unweildy for youth leaders who would have to travel from place to place. There was a general feeling that flannelboards would have to be produced centrally if they were to be used effectively in the population education programme.
Flip charts and flash cards
The participants felt that the idea of sequential messages had good potential for use in population education, either as a bound flip chart or as individual flash cards. They noted that in both cases, the materials could be prepared in advance to ensure high quality, or could be prepared by the group as a participatory activity. However, they noted that materials such as felt pens, paper and ink are sometimes scarce or expensive in the rural areas. Participants also noted the need to ensure proper storage for these and all paper-based materials; otherwise water or rodent damage was likely.
With regard to flip charts, the participants noted that they would be limited to one topic and that, Therefore, many flip charts might be required to deliver a complete message. In addition flip charts Were seen as easily damaged.
Flash cards have the advantage of being easily re-arranged to shift emphasis but their small size makes them useful only in small-group situations.
Posters
The participants examined a number of posters which had been collected during the first phase of activity of Project INT/86/P08. Some of these, particularly one designed by the Planned Parenthood Federation for use in Kenya, had already been tested with success in Zimbabwe.
They noted the high impact of posters due to their large size and long duration message. They also indicated that posters could be taken home by the students and displayed either in homes or public places.
The participants suggested that posters would be of use to generate interest or to reinforce a concept, but that they would not be sufficient to communicate a complex message.
The participants also cautioned that posters were inherently insecure, i.e., that they can be stolen, burnt or torn. One participant noted that, paradoxically, the more attractive the poster, the more likely it was to be stolen.
Chalkboards
The participants appreciated the relatively low cost of preparing and using a chalkboard and noted that, once prepared, a chalkboard can be used over and over. They also noted that chalkboards can be used for student participation or to compare and contrast ideas or concepts, either alone or in combination with charts or posters.
However, some participants cautioned that the chalkboards would need to be relatively small in size to permit them to be easily transported by the group leaders. This would limit their value to some extent. Other participants noted that a disadvantage of chalkboards was that images are of a temporary nature.
Cardboard boxes
The participants examined a "learning cube" prepared by the International Labour Office (ILO) as part of a worker's population education programme. The cube is a collapsable cardboard box with population-related images on all six sides.
They felt that using the sides of a box as a three-dimensional flip chart was a good discussion starter and might be more interest-catching than standard flip charts. They also felt that the cardboard boxes would encourage group activity.
However, there was general agreement that there would be significant problems in obtaining and maintaining cardboard boxes for this use. First, cardboard boxes are often in short supply in the rural areas and would be more likely to be used for storage than as teaching aids. Second, over a relatively short time, the cardboard boxes would be likely to deteriorate, especially if they were to be folded flat for storage after each use. In addition, some participants felt that youth might not find the use of cardboard boxes appealing or "serious".
Folk drama
There was consensus among the participants that folk drama had high potential for use in presenting concepts of population education to rural youth.
Several participants noted that drama was a basic part of rural life in Zimbabwe and was expecially useful in communicating concepts which might otherwise be delicate or embarrasing to present. The dual function of drama as entertainment and education was highlighted.
The participants also felt that drama could be made more or less complex depending on the audience, and therefore would lend itself to groups of varying educational levels. It was also noted that drama could serve as a link between the youth group and the rest of the village or community. A youth group performance would attract an audience of adults and could therefore be instrumental in maintaining community suport and approval for the population education programme.
Puppets
The participants felt that the use of puppets would be culturally inappropriate in Zimbabwe. They noted that puppets would be perceived as childish and boring. In addition, the participants felt that puppets could only be used with a very small group as their small size would be a limiting factor.
They felt that puppets could be used only in a situation in which the youth leader was particularly enthusiastic and well-versed in the use of this medium. Otherwise, they felt puppets could actually have a negative impact on a population education programme.
Cassette tapes and other "high technology" media
The participants recognized the high technology media as having good potential in communicating a population education message. They noted that cassettes could be used to store and replay information and could be easily transported, thus reaching a large audience. They also noted the inherent appeal of the media. However, they cautioned that electronic equipment was expensive and had problems in terms of power and maintenance.
They stressed the potential of radio for reaching rural audiences, saying that many if not most rural youth had access to a radio. They indicated that there might be some difficulties in coordinating the population education effort with the programming schedule of the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation.
Television was cited as a powerful and effective media, but was generally felt to be inappropriate in the more rural areas.
Despite the problems of expense and maintenance with electronic media, the participants concluded that the Government might wish to consider development and sponsorship of this approach, given its extremely high impact.
Other teaching materials
In the course of the working groups and plenary discussions on teaching materials, the participants noted the potential of some media which were not covered in the workshop handout. For example, some participants stressed the attraction of films and suggested that use of this media should be explored. Local music and 'nganos were also suggested for consideration.
The overall objecive of this session was to outline appropriate strategies for the introduction of population education into programmes for rural youth, i.e., how best to get the message to rural youth. The participants were asked to consider four basic questions:
The participants felt strongly that the introduction of population education should be done, wherever possible, through existing groups. It was felt that the formation of groups of young people solely for the purpose of introducing or studying population-related issues would not be viable.
In the discussion groups, the participants considered the types of groups which might lend themselves- to the incorporation of a population education message, i.e., government, non-government, and religious groups.
The participants felt that it was essential to involve youth groups from all three categories in order to reach the greatest possible number of rural youth with the population education message.
In the area of government-related groups, the participants highlighted the following:
The participants also stressed the importance of involving local government authorities, including the District and Rural Councils and the City Councils.
In the area of non-governmental organizations, the participants suggested that the National Youth Council and VOICE (the Voluntary Organizations in Community Enterprise) should be involved to coordinate all involved organizations.
Specifically mentioned as having good potential for involvement in the population education programme were:
These organizations were offered only as examples. It was clear that the participants intended to involve as many NGOs as possible.
In terms of religious organizations, the participants suggested that the Zimbabwe Christian Council be involved as the umbrella organization for all church denominations. They indicated that there would be some fundamentalist organizations which would not be responsive to the population education message, but that many progressive groups could be utilized.
They specifically recommended that Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations be involved.
One participant also recommended that the Hindu and Islamic Associations be contacted.
The participants also suggested that two organizations -- the Zimbabwe National Family Planning Council and ZIMFEP — should be considered separately as parastatal organizations, and should play a significant part in the organization and implementation of the population education programme.
As the discussion progressed, it became apparent that there would be a need for coordination at t he national level. The participants suggested that a national-level planning committee be given the responsibility ofcoordinating and integrating the population education concept at policy level in all agencies, ministries and non-governmental organizations.
They suggested that the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture be the coordinating ministry at all levels, i.e., national, provincial, district and local (WADCO and VIDCO). It was felt that perhaps the best organizational structure would be the establishment of an inter-sectoral committee, chaired by the Ministry of Youth, Sport and Culture. It was also felt that a national coordinator should be chosen who would dedicate full-time attention to the population effort.
Several participants felt that the planning committee that had been responsible for the organization of the workshop could serve as the nucleus for the coordinating committee. However, other participants stressed that there needed to be more non-governmental representation on this committee. It was also felt that the coordinating committee should have close links with the international organizations involved in the effort, particularly UNFPA and FAO.
In terms of methodology, the participants agreed that the most effective way of introducing the population education message would be to integrate it into ongoing activities. By assisting the group in its primary activity, the participants felt the group would become receptive to the addition of the population education message. However, the participants did not rule out .the possibility of introducing population education as a separate activity within the youth group.
Specifically, the participants recommended a problem-solving approach, focussing on participation, discussion and dialogue. Practical rather than theoretical elements should be given priority.
The participants considered the development of a pilot effort to field test the prototype training materials and the methodologies developed for the population education effort. They suggested that the pilot effort should be run in a concentrated geographic area for a period of 6-9 months. Some participants recommended a evaluation at three-month intervals, while others felt that the pilot should be evaluated on a continuing basis. Two areas which were specifically suggested for the pilot effort were Mushagashe and Chaminuka. Both areas were identified as rural but not isolated, thereby permitting good contact and evaluation. In addition, there are established Rural Youth Centres in both areas.
In the discussion on implementation strategies, it quickly became apparent that training would be a very important factor in determining the success of both the pilot effort and the national programme. The participants felt that training of trainers should be implemented by FAO and followed up by in-service training programmes for all youth leaders who would be involved in the programme.
