Top marks for school sex education review

THE reality is that we live in a fast-changing and rapidly evolving world. Against that backdrop, it is a matter of concern that the Relationship and Sexuality Education programme taught in our secondary schools is now 20 years old.

It is only right and proper that Richard Bruton will today announce that the curriculum is to undergo a review to establish if ‘it is fit for purpose and [whether it] meets the needs of young people today’. Of particular significance is the fact that the issue of sexual consent, its importance and what precisely it means, will be a key part of the review.

Of course, the subject of consent is already part of the syllabus. But the plain fact of the matter is that attitudes and definitions regarding sexual conduct have shifted dramatically over the past two decades. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that young people are fully informed on what constitutes acceptable behaviour and what doesn’t. Nobody, least of all this newspaper, doubts the internet has had a pernicious effect in terms of warping the perceptions of some vulnerable teens.

Accordingly, it is to be welcomed that the review being announced by Minister Bruton will also look at online safety and the impact of social media on ‘relationships and self-esteem’.

Our children will shape the society of the future, so it is crucial that they are steered in the right direction. It goes without saying that they still need to be taught about the birds and the bees in biology class.

But times have changed. They also need to learn that appropriate and respectful behaviour is of the utmost importance when it comes to sexual matters.