Nina Botnăraș – the chemistry teacher who won students’ hearts through honest conversations about life, relationships, and the future

Nina Botnăraș, a chemistry teacher and instructor of "Decisions for a Healthy Lifestyle" at the ASEM National College of Commerce, believes that education means more than formulas, facts, and theories. It also means emotional support, open dialogue, and mutual trust. She has been teaching chemistry for nearly 20 years, but since 2022, she has also taken on life skills education alongside her students.

"Young People Need Spaces Where They Feel Heard"

During adolescence, young people have many questions about changes in their bodies, emotions, relationships, and making healthy choices, but often lack an informed, trustworthy adult to turn to. The "Decisions for a Healthy Lifestyle" course, taught in most vocational education and training (VET) institutions nationwide, addresses these needs. In class, students discuss topics such as reproductive health, puberty changes, violence prevention, decision-making in high-risk situations, healthy eating, and more.

"Since I started teaching this course, I've noticed how important it is for students to have a space where they can share their fears and ask questions. The Decisions lessons and the curriculum allow us to address various topics and create a context where young people get the information they need - even if they don't dare to ask those questions out loud," says Nina Botnăraș.

In 2024, UNFPA, in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research and the Austrian Development Agency, launched an extensive life skills and employability program for all vocational education institutions in the country. Through this program, vocational schools, colleges, and centers of excellence are equipped with educational resources, youth-friendly classrooms, and teachers trained to deliver the "Decisions for a Healthy Lifestyle" course.

Lessons Became More Engaging with EduLIFE Boxes

To make lessons more interactive, in 2024, all VET institutions in Moldova were equipped with EduLIFE Boxes, which contain a set of innovative resources designed to support learning about healthy development and life skills among adolescents and young people.

"The EduLIFE Boxes help us make lessons more interactive. The tools we now have access to - like the No Taboos game, contraception cards, or reproductive organs puzzles - make the lessons more dynamic and encourage students to get involved, ask questions, and share their opinions," explains the teacher.

A satisfaction survey conducted this academic year with students enrolled in the course taught by trained teachers revealed that students appreciate the relevance of the topics discussed during lessons. The interactive methods and educational platforms used by teachers motivate them to be more engaged, turning learning into an active and meaningful experience.

From Teacher to Confidante and Mentor

For Nina Botnăraș, life education lessons don't end when the school bell rings. Her experience has shown that when teachers create safe spaces for dialogue, adolescents find the courage to share their fears and concerns.

"Open discussions give them courage and make them trust me more as a teacher. After covering certain sensitive topics in class, students become more open. When they face problems in their lives or difficulties at home, they come to talk, and I try to support them and offer advice. It means a lot for teenagers to know they have someone to turn to - that some teachers and peers understand them. It gives them confidence, courage, and helps them make healthy choices for their future," says Nina Botnăraș.

EduLIFE Network: Young People Speaking in Their Language

In 2024, Nina Botnăraș, along with a group of students from her institution, formed a peer educator team that joined the EduLIFE Network - a youth community present in 20 vocational education institutions, organizing non-formal education activities using social theater, debates, board games, and other methods. The teacher acts as the team's mentor, guiding the educators in their activities.

"They can communicate information much more easily to students their age. The peer educators were trained on how to run activities with young people and how to deliver information in an accessible way, in a language they can relate to," the teacher explains.

This story was produced as part of the program "Connecting Young People to the Labor Market Through Life Skills Development," implemented by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA in the Republic of Moldova) in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Research, with financial support from the Austrian Development Agency through Austrian Development Cooperation funds.