How to Introduce Sex Education in Schools?

Talking or conversing about sex education has been a taboo until now in Indian society and several households. People often get uncomfortable when someone talks about the topic of sex education and so avoids having discussions related to it. Due to such reasons, children aren’t aware of it and watching advertisements related to contraception, conception or anything arises curiosity and so many questions in their minds. Many times children asks the question “mumma how are babies born?” But parents instead of answering such questions, ignores it or sometimes gives false, illogical answers considering their child too little to know the exact answer.

Sex education or sexual end is important and every children or student should be taught at home by their parents and in schools by teachers about the topic without any hesitation once in a while, the right way before it gets too late or else children hears various misconceptions or rumors from the peers around or uses unethical ways to gain information. Sex education includes giving information and educating others about private parts and the body name, helping them distinguish between good touch and the bad touch and how to ask for the help when needed. The right age to start give sex education is four or five years of age, average nine to ten years.

Also Read: Sexual Stigma and its relation with Psychological Well-Being

Importance of sex education

Sex education is necessary in schools, along with other disciplines as it creates awareness among students about sexual changes and the processes, reproductive health and gives information about HIV, AIDS and other sexual transmitted diseases (STDs)- how they occur or caused and the necessary precautions one could consider in order to prevent having it in young ages.

Also, by having sex education, one avoids being the victim of child abuse knowingly or unknowingly, as it provides young adults all the necessary information and helps them figure out what’s happening with or around them. Knowledge about sex related topics gives students and children a voice to speak up about it and create awareness.

Sex education helps young children avoid having unplanned pregnancies by knowing about various contraceptive methods and helps them in making informed, valuable decisions in life that could help them lead a healthy sexual life. By getting aware of one’s sexuality, they could form and get into healthy and comfortable relationships since they understand the importance of consent and learn to form boundaries within different relationships. Sex education helps a person to talk freely about the problems concerning them and also helps in removing the stigma associated with sex conversations, not making it a ‘taboo to discuss’ for present as well as upcoming generations.

Also Read: The Depathologization of Homosexuality

Sex education is very important for teenagers and young adults, since puberty is the time when teens go through bodily changes and develops knowledge of different things and concepts. It is necessary to make them understand the mechanism behind such changes and life processes and assure them that it’s all normal and happens to everyone.

Tips and various ways to establish sex education in schools

1. Provide up to date information and accurate information about sexual concepts:

Sex education is not a part of curriculum so it becomes difficult to gather every student’s attention towards the topic. In addition, after considering factors like different learning needs, cultures, interests, curiosity of each individual, sex education could be seen as a challenging topic to introduce. The teachers and professionals can convey accurate information from reliable resources to students and various misconceptions and myths related to sexual activities can be busted in front of students.

Teachers should be well informed and updated about every topic and provide answers with clarity and sensitivity to students. By performing acts on stage in school auditorium or in classes and making students watch animated films about sex education is an interesting way of conveying information and educating children about the topic.

2. Create a safe, non-judgemental environment for students to discuss their doubts and problems associated with sex:

Often children hesitate in discussing their concerns and doubts regarding sexuality and various different behaviour or concepts as they think it’s not a good topic to discuss about or they feel it’s not normal having conversations related to sex as they hear no one talking about it openly. Even at home, children are not given a positive open environment to have one on one conversation and solve their queries. Therefore, it’s best to promote a friendly, open, non-judgemental atmosphere for children to be able to ask their doubts knowing that they’ll get a clear answer and understanding of the topic or problem.

Also Read: Asexuality as a Sexual Orientation

3. Role playing and group discussions:

Spreading awareness and educating students about crucial topics is a great way to make them understand. Role-playing is like an act where people express or address serious concerns by performing different roles in front of audience. Changing voice tones, behavior, and physical appearances accomplishes it.

Group discussions helps remove awkwardness and any hesitation while conversing about sex related sensitive topics and answering all the queries one has in their mind. In-group discussions, one asks a question and other people of the group answers them and discusses their thoughts and opinions. It helps in improving communication and promotes active listening.

4. Presenting different scenarios:

Representing various different scenarios helps understand all kinds of possibilities and get aware of strategies and solutions to overcome them or act upon it. Teaching about good touch and bad touch, as well as educating about various sexually transmitted diseases, can utilize different scenarios. By making the use of different scenarios, teachers present hypothetical situations and ask students to discuss their thoughts and solutions they could adopt. This could also help in discussing case studies and real life examples with the students.

Also Read: Trauma Due to Childhood Sexual Abuse

5. Hands on activities:

Teachers can introduce sex education in schools for the students by making use of activities and several hand made creative art models made of clay and cardboards. It helps in visualising the concepts and makes one understands better. Clay models of different body parts, including the reproductive parts can help understand different parts of body and their various functions. Teachers can make students participate in quizzes in which teacher points out on different parts and students name it turn by turn. In addition, street plays are great way of sex education, adapting the style of story telling in a fun and entertaining way instead of delivering long lectures, which does not fully, grabs student’s attention.