Makerere, Uganda – At 64, Dr. Sarah Bunoti Nantono, has achieved her lifelong goal by earning a PhD in Public Health from Makerere University.
Her study titled “Pubertal and Child Rights Awareness, Communication, and Child Protection against Sexual Abuse and Exploitation among 10–14-year-olds in Jinja Primary Schools: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Effectiveness of a School-Based Intervention” is the reason she has taken 11 years of meticulous work to be able to communicate something useful to adolescents.
Her research which is focused on early adolescent reproductive health, particularly addressing the challenges faced by 10–14-year-olds in Jinja Primary Schools, is a ray of hope on the bumpy journey towards effective pubertal education.
The study, conducted in the high-risk Busoga region, highlighted the breakdown of traditional sources for puberty education, placing the responsibility on schools.
Unfortunately, teachers often lack the necessary training and resources, leading to misinformation and unpreparedness among children. Dr. Bunoti emphasized the urgency of evidence-based school interventions to bridge this information gap.
In response to communication breakdowns, Dr. Bunoti developed intervention books—a children’s resource book and a teacher’s guide.
A Randomized Control Trial demonstrated their effectiveness in improving pubertal knowledge among children and enhancing teaching capabilities in teachers. These intervention books have been approved by the National Curriculum Development Centre for nationwide use in primary schools.
Findings
Dr. Bunoti’s findings revealed a lack of awareness, support, and protection during puberty, contributing to psychological challenges, sexual abuse, early marriages, and school dropouts.
The study also revealed gender-specific challenges, with boys having limited opportunities to discuss puberty openly with adults.
For instance, Dr. Bunoti emphasizes the importance of involving young communicators in conveying Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) information to 10–14-year-olds.
She recommends collaborative efforts between parents, teachers, and young communicators to narrow the generation gap and enhance effective communication.
Furthermore, Dr. Bunoti calls for increased awareness and participation of male parents and teachers in SRH communication and child protection.
Her study stresses the need for parents and adults to supplement school-based SRHR education by instilling age-appropriate values and skills rooted in social, cultural, and religious contexts.
Additionally, she advocated for specialized training for Senior Women Teachers and Male Teachers, along with reduced teaching loads to ensure dedicated attention to this critical aspect of education.
Bunoti’s commendable work was made possible through the support of Sida, enabling her to carry out this impactful research. Under the guidance of her supervisors, Dr. Lynn Atuyambe and Prof. Nazarius Mbona Tumwesigye from Makerere University, she navigated the complexities of pubertal education, child rights awareness, and communication strategies.
Empowering Youth for a Safer Future
Bunoti’s research is not merely an academic endeavor but a crucial contribution to the well-being of the younger generation.
By addressing knowledge gaps, improving teaching capacities, and securing official endorsement, her work sets a precedent for empowering youth with accurate and essential information during a critical phase of their development.
The ripple effects of this intervention promise a safer and more informed future for adolescents across Uganda.
About Dr. Binoti
Sixty-four-year-old Sarah Bunoti Nantono is a retired teacher and Lecturer of Psychology. She enrolled in a Ph.D. program at Makerere University School of Public Health (MakSPH) in 2013 intending to study early adolescent reproductive health.
Having taught for more than thirty years, Dr. Sarah Bunoti Nantono has moved up the academic ladder from being a primary school teacher to a lecturer at Kyambogo University. She believed that earning a Ph.D. would be her ultimate goal in life. While at Kyambogo University, the second largest of the now 13 public universities in Uganda, Dr. Sarah Bunoti devoted her professional life to training social scientists, teachers, and teacher educators.
Eleven years later, Dr. Bunoti Sarah Nantono is one of the 46 females of the 132 PhD graduands in the #Mak74thGrad, which began on Monday, January 29, 2024.
Additional reporting by Makerere University School of Public Health at https://sph.mak.ac.ug/index.php/
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