Imperative to moderate sex education in schools
THE debate that greeted the recent teaching it is wrong and capable of directive by the Minister of corrupting impressionable secondary Education, Mallam Adamu Adamu school and primary school pupils that sex education be expunged from most of whom are in the age bracket school curriculum in Nigeria is to be of 5- 14 years. In this sense, it is reasonexpected, bearing in mind the sensiable to avoid sexualising and damagtive nature of the subject and ag e- old ing the character of our school pupils controversy that has surrounded it. with a pernicious sex education.
For instance, it is on record that the Yet, those canvassing sex education in subject was made part of the curricuschools are not without their reasons. lum after years of discussions and For instance the Nigerian Feminine debates by many stakeholders. And its Forum ( NFF) issued a statement that inclusion was intended to promote removal of sex education from school awareness by pupils of the dangers curriculum would jeopardise the relating to sex, particularly when u sed rights of students to health education outside the reproductive and family given its immense benefits to the norm, among other salient issues. health, well- being and protection of One of the problems of sex education the child from diseases, infections as over the years is that it has been well as teenage pregnancy stretched beyond permissible limit The organisation’s Communication and while part of the education has and Programme Assistant, Adaeze been useful to the children, other Ekpunobi, insisted in the statement parts ha ve inadve rtently exposed that Adamu and NERDC should, in the them at the same time to the danger interest of Nigeria and its public sought to be avoided. Nevertheless, to health, reverse the policy. “The NFF expunge the subject by fiat, the way believes that the directive is ill- advised the minister directed and without the and stems from a place of ignorance benefit of a round discussion by stakeon the value of sex education as a right holders, may not be the best approach and vital aspect of health education to curing the bad effects of sex educaand holistic wellbeing of school- aged tion in schools. The solution probably young Nigerians,” it added. lies in formulating the content of the The group noted that expunging sex subject strictly, such that all the negaeducation from Nigeria’s schools’ curtive aspects are identified and ricula may exacerbate myriads of sexexpunged while the positive aspects, related risks that young school- aged including prevention of unwanted Nigerians were exposed to. It noted pregnancies, contraction of sexually that contrary to the minister’s positransmitted infections and promotion on sex education, “evidence- based tion of abstinence and personal disciresearches at national and internapline are retained. tional levels, outlined the benefits of
Adamu directed the Nigerian sex education to include delayed sexuEducational Research and al initiation; reduced risk- taking; Development Council ( NERDC) to increased use of contraception; and expunge sex education from the improved attitudes to sexual and school curriculum in Nigeria, noting reproductive health.” that sex education should be left in It therefore called on governments the hands of parents and religious and policy- makers to provide safe, institutions. It is noted that little chilaccurate and incremental sex educadren are already exposed to all sorts of tion to young people in the country, sexual perversions on their mobile adding that sex education in schools phones and electronic gadgets. The was imperative in today’s information minister stated that his action was age, where young people could access informed by the fact that in Nigeria’s information from the internet and religious and cultural setting, the social media. “The Nigerian governmorals and values imparted in chilment cannot afford to neglect the dren by their parents and religious right to health and holistic well- being institutions are the superstructure for of millions of school- aged Nigerians; moulding their character and buildthe repercussions of such carelessness ing national ethos. and retrogressive action will impact
Some civil society groups had on all aspects of the Nigerian society,” expressed their disappointment with it added. the minister’s directive, arguing that It is unfortunate that we now live in a it is highly uninformed and a setback highly- sexualised society. And one of which would erode the progress made the negative consequences of this is by the Ministr y of Education and the sexualisation of primary and secother non- state actors in this matter . ondary school pupils. At every turn — They further argued that the F amily television, music, movies, sex educaLife and HIV Education ( FLHE) curricution in schools — pre- teen, teens, lum, among other things, contains school pupils and teenagers are daily factual information and skills on bombarded with tragically misguided abortion, safe- sex and reproductive messages, often borrowed from health that are necessar y for y oung abroad, about ‘ safe- sex’ but in all people to make rational decisions deviant forms. About 15 years ago, about their bodies. some concerned parents sued the In truth, teaching of sex education in Lagos State government at the Federal schools has sometimes emphasized High Court, Lagos over the corruption lewd- related and pervasive sex educaof the secondary school Integrated tion that corrupts the moral of school Science curriculum in Lagos State to children. Some of the content is include masturbation, how to wear immoral and the method deployed in the condoms, breast enlargement, sterilization, abortion and so forth.
It is alarming is that the sex education curriculum used in Nigeria is modeled after the Comprehensive Sexuality Education ( CSE) which is copied verbatim from the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States ( SIECUS). There is little or no consideration for Nigeria’s closely- guided tradition and culture on the subject. It is necessary therefore that immoral biological sex education used in corrupting school children should be removed from the school curriculum. For sex education to be safely taught in Nigeria’s primary and secondary schools, it must reflect the diverse social, economic and environmental conditions of the country, with full respect for the religious, cultural and philosophical convictions of the Nigerian people. It is suicidal to impose corruptive sex education imported from abroad on Nigerian schools.
Every society should grow with its own values and culture. Teen sexual immorality is abhorred in all Nigerian cultures. Teen sexual perversity is punishable under the Nigerian law and in most cases without the option of a fine. A common error is to think that mere biological knowledge and information through sex education are enough, whereas even the best sex information may not make anyone chaste. Sexual avoidance, not risk reduction should be the approach to sex education because it is desirable that school pupils completely avoid sexual risk. Even school pupils who are sexually active can be encouraged to return to abstinence until they are older. School children constitute the real treasure of Nigeria. And the greatest crime anybody can commit is to destroy that treasure.
The ultimate responsibility for teaching values- based sex education lies squarely with parents who are t he primary educators of their children. While the mothers privately teach their daughters the proper norms and attitudes in sex- related matters, the fathers should also do the same thing with their sons. It is unfortunate and regrettable that many parents are shirking this important family responsibility on the excuse of work, thereby delegating their family responsibilities to house- helps.
The family institution, unarguably, is indeed the fundamental unit of society. The family is the natural context in which children learn all the basic values ( including spiritual ones) which help to shape their character and steer them in the right direction. Further, it is in the natural family that children imbibe those cherished values which form the superstructures for the building of national ethos. Therefore, parents should rediscover themselves and rein vigorate their re s pective families to enable them guide their own children to be responsible citizens. Civilisation is imperiled when families are imperiled. A so- called technologically advanced world without natural families to provide the moral compass to sustain it is indeed a failed world.