SEX EDUCATION, IS IT TIMELY?

In some cultures, sex is a hush hush topic, talking about sex is considered taboo. Parents find it hard to explain when their kids ask them where did I come from or when they ask where am I while browsing through their parents’ wedding photos. More often than not, those innocent questions evoke amusement rather than seriousness and parents would skirt around the issue or tell the age old stork and baby story which would appease their kids’ curiosity albeit momentarily.

It is in such cultures where rape, sexually transmitted diseases, teen pregnancy and baby abandonment are rampant. All of this is due to the suppression of the true facts of sex and its premarital and unprotected aftermath.

Some quarters argue that there is the reproduction chapter in the science subject taught in schools as well as the puberty chapter in the PE subject, thus the non entailment of a separate syllabus of sex education.

At the other end, the argument that arises is that the teaching of all the above lack greater emphasis, perspective and context on how to be responsible for the student’s sexuality and the repercussions of being sexually active too early and the hazards of having multiple sex partners and unprotected sex. The syllabus only expounds the functions of the reproductive system and the bodily changes that takes place during puberty which barely scratches the surface. This brief interlude is not enough to teach students serious matters.

There is a fear that if sex education is taught in schools, it would encourage sexual activity in students even more. To counter that opinion, it is said that kids are going to go out there and have sex anyway so, they would be better off if they know what they are up against should they decide to get sexually active.  With the right knowledge about sex, youngsters would be able to prevent themselves against abuse, exploitation, unintended pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV and AIDS. Surely this is the target every parent aim for, the onus of them having to tell their kids about the birds and the bees lifted off their shoulders now that formal education takes care of that.

Appropriate sex education in school may help preventing sexual problems in adulthood and the correct approach and atittude when it comes to sex will lead to a healthy sex life including homosexuality and transgender.

Of course teaching sex education in schools would not only bring rosy, idealistic outcome, there are acquired disadvantages as well.

In many cases and cultures, sex education collides against perceived morals and beliefs. This depends on how sex education is taught in schools, whether they teach abstinence and celibacy along with the hard facts about sex or only focus on safe intercourse, regardless of it happening in or out of wedlock.  The latter would be objected by some religions and family values. Again, this disrupts a uniformed sex education which becomes a real problem when it comes to implementation.

Next, teachers tasked with the teaching of sex education might end up adding their own morals and beliefs into their subject matter instead of focusing on the facts. This could happen due to the lack of training and also the non-uniformity of the syllabus. The atittude of parents, educators or religious leaders in different communities lead to variations in the subject matter being taught in different countries, states and even schools.

The teaching of sex education in schools is still a subjective matter, subject to moot and debate, leaving much to desired. Often times, sex education is given the short shrift, taking sensitivity into consideration.

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