Department defends sex education curriculum
THE Basic Education Department has rejected with contempt the “continued deliberate misrepresentation of facts” regarding some of the content in Life Orientation.
Spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said that last month the department clarified the matter and even provided details of what was contained in the sexuality section of the curriculum.
“We have noted with concern that a certain organisation persists in misleading the public by publishing the wrong information resulting in unnecessary confusion and panic among South Africans. We have done our best to help by providing information, but they refuse to understand and instead choose to mislead the public.
“The department wishes to reiterate that there is no new content that has been added to the Life Orientation subject. The comprehensive sexuality education has been part of the curriculum since 2000.”
Research findings indicate high birth rates among adolescents and teenagers; in addition, more than a third of girls and boys experience sexual violence before the age of 17.
Mhlanga said that this has necessitated the need for the department to provide age-appropriate child abuse prevention education for young people, who often do not know when they are being violated by sexual predators.
“The department rejects the notion that comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) sexualises children. It is mischievous to pull one-liners from the scripted lesson plans to create improper and baseless impressions.
“The lessons focus on teaching about the respect for self, for the body of others; and most importantly, for children to identify inappropriate physical interactions.”
He said the school governing body, school management team, teachers and parents were oriented on the lessons.
Mhlanga said that in seeking to find a comprehensive and all-encompassing curriculum that seeks to address real-world challenges and issues faced by learners in their day-to-day lives, the department has through various consultation platforms allowed for the evolution of the content within the learner and teacher guides.
The department has adopted and allowed for the progression of the lesson plans as through consultation, various key factors were raised that have served to strengthen the lesson plans. |