The latest initiative by Agenzija sedqa to support its prevention programmes against substance abuse is a new interactive and educational CD-ROM aimed at primary school children.

The CD-ROM was launched this week by Louis Galea, Minister for Education, Youth and Employment, and by Dolores Cristina, Minister for the Family and Social Solidarity on the occasion of World Children's Day, which was marked on Sunday.

T.F.A.L. - Tfal Favur Ambjent Liberu CD-ROM forms part of sedqa's primary prevention services tailor-made for primary school pupils.

Two main characters, Max and Amy, through various life situations, pass on messages and empower children to adopt positive behaviour and participate in decision-making.

Another important aspect of T.F.A.L. is the section for educators. The CD-ROM offers a number of lesson plans which teachers can use in class, dealing with family relationships, bullying, health and healthy eating among others.

Joe Gerada, chief executive of the Foundation for Social Welfare Services, expressed concern that while sedqa has been producing state-of-the-art literature and programmes for all government schools, such programmes are not yet compulsory and teachers or heads of schools may decide not to make use of them. Sometimes sedqa's literature on substance abuse prevention was not distributed to children in certain schools, he said.

Moreover while four teachers were assigned to sedqa to run the programmes in schools in Malta, this same opportunity had not yet been offered to Gozitan school children.

Mr Gerada expressed the hope that discussions between sedqa and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Employment to draft a policy on prevention education in schools would address both these issues.

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