Go for sex education in schools, say parents

Go for sex education in schools, say parents
Preetu Nair | TNN

Panaji: While the rest of the country may have its knickers in a twist about sex education in schools, Goan parents want the birds and the bees to be part of the syllabus.

A report by 72 government high schools submitted to the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) showed that a majority of parents want sex education to be part of the curriculum.

“Everywhere, even in the villages, parents want their children to have sex education,” said state resource person for the School Adolescent Education Programme (SAEP), Maria de Fatima. “Parents said they are uncomfortable talking about sex to their children and are happy for the teachers to do the job.”

Before the parents were polled, the authorities conducted an advocacy programme for Parent-Teachers’ Associations in March this year to help them understand why sex education was important. SAEP was introduced in 2005 for standards VIII to XII in Goa, in collaboration with the National AIDS Control Organisation (NACO). The programme’s objective is to empower adolescents to protect themselves from HIV infection, avoid risky situations, shun drug abuse and practise responsible behaviour. “Parents accepted that it is the need of the hour as sexual behaviour of children has changed,” said Maria de Fatima. Goa has gone ahead with the SAEP despite concerns voiced from many quarters. The department of school education and literacy, HRD ministry in New Delhi and the Students Islamic Organisation of India, Goa, were among those who had reservations. “The response to sex education in schools is positive and parents agree that there is a need for adolescent education,” said SCERT director G P Bhat. “We have faced very little opposition from parents.”

07 May 2008, The Times of India, Goa edition
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