No topics taboo when teaching about sex

NST: PUTRAJAYA: A major exercise to arm students with knowledge about sex and reproductive health is ready to be rolled out and no subject is taboo — even if it is masturbation, homosexuality or abortion.
The main thrust for this is provided by the Reproductive and Social Health Education Guidelines, over 160 pages long, covering topics as diverse as teaching a child what kind of "touching" is right or wrong, contraception, teenage crushes and the dangers of online sexual predators.
The Education Ministry has worked with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), experts and religious groups for three years to form these guidelines. They are now in the final "polishing and filtering" stage, says the ministry’s parliamentary secretary Komala Devi.
"We hope they can be released soon. This is certainly not a textbook or sex manual; in fact, abstinence is advocated in the guidelines.
"But we have decided to be very detailed on a wide variety of issues for the benefit of the teachers and facilitators who will be using the guidelines to teach children.
"We have recognised there are very sensitive areas.
"The intention is not to alarm anyone but with the current information available to children via the Internet, television and magazines, we can’t be ostriches and ignore these topics," she told the New Straits Times.
The ministry will not introduce sex education as a subject, but is providing the guidelines to be taught across subjects such as Biology, Science, Physical Education, Moral Studies and even in languages, where they can become an essay topic, for example.
At this point, the ministry considers it unfeasible to have a sex education class every week and overload the current curriculum, when the subject can be better addressed in existing classes by teachers who already have some experience in talking about reproduction, for example.
The Education Ministry also hopes to incorporate sex education in co-curricular activities, such as including elements of the guidelines in activities conducted by clubs like the Red Crescent or Club Pro-star — a school club spreading awareness on HIV/AIDS.
It intends to rope in facilitators or experts from NGOs to conduct talks or use multimedia approaches on the subjects, and aims to provide the guidelines to Parent- Teacher Associations and other relevant groups.
The ministry may also disseminate elements of the guidelines in the media to "educate the public".
Most importantly, it has also been training teachers with the help of NGOs most familiar with the subjects, such as "P.S. The Children", and is ready to assist teachers who may find it awkward or difficult to handle these subjects.
The guidelines cover five levels — Level I (children aged four to six), Level II (seven to nine years), Level III (10 to 12 years), Level IV (13 to 18 years) and Level V (19 years and above).
Children aged four to six, for example, do not learn what homosexuality or bisexuality is but are taught about the "Touch Continuum" and how to say "No" to the "wrong touch". They will be given a brief introduction to HIV/AIDS, mostly on how "HIV is a virus that can make you easily susceptible to many illnesses if you get infected".
Older children are exposed to sexual orientation and how "sexual orientation may change" in the course of one’s life.
The language is neutral and on subjects like homosexuality or bisexuality, it has follow-up points such as "most religions regard homosexuality as wrong".
The part on masturbation has notes such as: "One can avoid the temptation to masturbate by focusing on other activities and keeping busy".
Teenagers whose "hormones are running wild" are counselled on peer pressure, infatuation, platonic or exploitative relationships, love, and how some youngsters may use lines like: "If you love me, you would have sex with me".
It touches a lot on how abstinence is the best, and safest route, but also includes sections on contraceptives, such as condoms, diaphragms, pessaries and birth control pills.
And on abortion, a controversial subject, it includes notes such as "abortions could lead to loss of life", and how abortions conducted by dubious practitioners are dangerous.
For those 19 years and above, the information touches more on relationships, marriage, parenting and even sexual dysfunction, in addition to the topics on sexual diseases and symptoms.
Symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and syphilis are tackled in some areas of the guidelines, as well as the need to be tested and treated for such diseases.
Komala says other new areas are for teachers to touch on sexual violence and where children can and should seek help, as well as the current sexual predators lurking in cyberspace.
"With all the current news about perverts online trying to lure young children, we want students to know that they should be careful when on the Internet, and not to trust all they read or hear on it."
Will the guidelines, which have still to go through several ministries and agencies before they are submitted to the Cabinet, be watered down?
"We hope not, because these guidelines took three years to complete with a wide range of feedback from across the board, including religious bodies. Besides, we cannot water it down until there is no information left.
"Difficult or not, we have to accept that these children are getting information from elsewhere, so we have to be more proactive. We are preparing them for real life."