YES to SEX EDUCATION in SECONDARY EDUCATION

Sex Education usually refers to programs offered in schools that cover sexuality and reproduction. Sexuality refers to the quality or state of being sexual and includes all thoughts and behaviours that have to do with an individual as a sexual being. For example, bodily changes at puberty, decisions to engage in kissing, petting or having sexual intercourse and using or not using contraceptives can be included under the broad term sexuality.

Sex Education programs are also called family life education, sexuality education and reproductive health education. Sometimes, sex education is offered in the form of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) education. In 1999, more than 93 percent of all public high schools in the United States offered courses on sexuality or HIV. Sex Education is not a required subject in all school districts, and programs can vary from an entire course on human sexuality to integration of information in biology, health education, physical education and consumer and family science (home economics) classes.

Originally, sex education in United States was started in schools to teach about physical and sexual maturation. However, as the years go by, the goals became decreasing the incidence of teen pregnancy, delaying onset of sexual activity among teens, and decreasing the rates of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and HIV cases.

At the moment, there are two different types of Sex Education classes offered in the United States. It will depend on the state or local school district mandates. Teens will either be learning Comprehensive Sexuality Education or the Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage program. These programs represent two completely different schools of thought.

Comprehensive Sexuality Education is a program that starts in kindergarten and continues through high school. It brings up age appropriate sexuality topics and covers the broad spectrum of sex education, including safe sex, STDs, contraceptives, masturbation, body image, and more. Abstinence-Only-Until-Marriage Programs emphasize abstinence from all sexual behaviours and do not cover information on contraceptives, STDs, masturbation, etc.

Here in our country, despite the persistent lobbying by the Catholic Church, the Department of Education is bent on teaching sex education in the public high schools. The Department of Education is awaiting the go-ahead signal from the Presidential Council on Values Formation (PCVF) which is currently reviewing the secondary teachers’ adolescent reproductive health manuals. The new draft modules titled “Secondary Teachers’ Toolkit on Adolescent Reproductive Health” and “Patnubay sa Pagtuturo ng Araling Adolescent Reproductive Health para sa Alternative Learning System” which are subject to PCVF review and approval are purely health and science angles on reproductive health. They are products of nationwide multi-sectoral consultations. These manuals were jointly funded by the Australian Aid for International Development and the United Nations Fund for Population Awareness.

The revised modules will include teaching notes on pre-marital sex, commercial sex, abortion and homosexuality, risky sex, feelings of admiration for one person of the same or opposite sex, Filipino adolescents’ high awareness but poor knowledge of HIV/AIDS and adolescents’ sexual abstinence.

Let us begin with pre-marital sex, commercial sex, abortion and homosexuality. According to the statistics of the Commission on Population of Region 11, Director Maduh Damsani said every minute, 190 women face unwanted or unplanned pregnancies. About 13 percent of maternal deaths are attributed to unsafe abortions, coupled with the lack of skilled follow-up. The high level of unmet need for quality contraceptive services and the corresponding number of unwanted pregnancies – is a key reason why so many seek out abortion. Currently, as many as fifty percent of pregnancies are unplanned and twenty five percent are unwanted.

With this alarming number of cases of unwanted and unplanned pregnancies in the country, it is just right for us to conduct sex education. Just imagine 190 women every minute are facing unwanted or unplanned pregnancies. Consider that we have 1440 minutes in a day. Therefore, 273,600 unwanted or unplanned pregnancies are happening in the Philippines daily and this will even contribute to the ballooning of the population which is considered to be major problem in the country right now. That is why there is really a need for us now to provide our high school students with expanding access to client-centred family planning information and services, where a variety of effective contraceptive methods is offered and responsive counselling. They will be provided with information of the consequences of engaging in unwanted and unplanned pregnancies. Eventually, as high school students will be equipped with these information and effective contraceptive methods, the number of unplanned pregnancies which is primarily the reason for sub-optimal pregnancy care and unsafe abortion procedures will be reduced. It will even give students with correct values and self-mastery or discipline. Sex Education plays its role in shaping educated teenagers who are capable of controlling their biological urges.

How about the cases of AIDS and HIV in the Philippines? Since the country first reported and AIDS case in 1984 up to September 2008, the National AIDS Registry of the Department of Health has recorded a snowballing total of 3456 HIV and AIDS cases. Sixty-nine percent were males; the age groupings with the most number of cases were 25-29 years (21%) and 30-34 (21%); and sexual transmission was the most common mode of transmission (89%). Of these, 2657 were asymptotic and 799 were AIDS cases. Of the AIDS cases, 310 had passed away by the time of reporting.

If you are really concerned with your sons and daughters in secondary education, you will be in favour of sex education in schools. As parents, you want the best for your children and you don’t want either that your children will soon be a part of those individuals who contributes to the cumulative total number of HIV and AIDS cases in the country. You do not want either that your children will be one of the reasons of the transmission of that virus to other individuals. You never want them to be infected and to be the one who infects. As high school students, we really need to learn about contraceptives, for us to know how to basically avoid contacting diseases acquired through unsafe sex. The government is having an anti-AIDS campaign right now and I say it will only succeed if Filipinos become well-informed on how to stay away from sexually transmitted diseases by using protection, such as condoms. We should really be aware of these dangers.

Pre-marital sex has really been a trend nowadays. There are increasing numbers of those individuals who engage in such activity right now. The gap between adolescent Filipino females and their male counterparts practicing pre-marital sex (PMS) is becoming narrow according to the study conducted by the University of the Philippines – Population Institute (UPPI). A Young Adult Fertility Survey (YAFS) disclosed that males are more into pre-marital sex than females but over the years, young women are catching up with men. The survey covered 20,000 Filipino youths aged 15-24 years old across the country. One out of Four Filipinos aged 15-24 are engaging in pre-marital sex, according to a study by the UP Population Institute. This year’s study also say that close to 4 million youngsters are engaging in pre-marital sex with 30% of the respondents doing it in their own homes while 18% were doing it inside motels and hotels.

With the rise of pre-marital sex among youths, I have to underscore that 4 million youngsters are engaging in PMS and some of them are high school students. I have to draw attention to the importance of integrating sex education in the curriculum as the survey revealed by the UPPI headed by Prof. Corazon Raymundo that students who did not learn sex education tend to become more sexually active. If we will include sex education, social ramifications for bearing a baby out of wedlock will be learned by the students. Hence, it leads to curtailing of teenage pregnancy.

“Sex Education is the sole right and responsibility of parents and no excuse or alibi can justify the public teaching of sex education by strangers. The disadvantage of having sex education in schools is that it takes away parents’ right to be able to explain to their children about sex and to answer any questions they might have. To allow sex education in the classroom is somewhat similar of risking the student’s moral and spiritual well-being. What we need to teach our children is that their sexuality is part and parcel of their internalization of family values. It is an outright child abuse for those who would feel scandalized during the discussion on sexuality.” These are the views of the Catholic Church.

What is Morality? It is considered with the distinction between good and evil or right and wrong. Sex Education does not teach immorality. Sex Education offered in schools is not just all about love-making or sexual pleasure. It does not teach us to get a condom and have sex with anyone, may it be of the opposite sex or not. It does not teach us to try risky sex because it is more stimulating. It does not teach us to fall in love or in bed with someone of the same sex. It does not teach us to go and spread the virus brought by HIV or AIDS. It does not teach us to be persons with sex drive. Most of all, it does not teach us how to have sex. That’s the most common misconception amongst parents and teenagers. To all those dull-witted individuals who have these misconceptions, better be informed. Sex Education is an introduction to human anatomy, communicable disease recognition and prevention, understanding hormonal imbalance, personal hygiene, and emotional health. This is not made for promotion of sex. This is to provide students with the awareness of the consequences that pre-marital sex, commercial sex, abortion and homosexuality, risky sex, feelings of admiration for one person of the same or opposite sex, poor knowledge of HIV or AIDS could bring. As a matter of fact, it also teaches students Abstinence from Sex until they get married.

Another thing, Philippine Catholic Bishops opposes Sex-Ed in schools and says that it should be left to the parents. This is true if all parents know how to talk about sex with their children. We can’t suppose parents know how to converse sex openly. Some might be uneducated to comprehend the framework of reproduction and as a result, fails to grasp natural birth control methods. We also have parents out here who are not at ease talking to their children about sex and answering any questions they have. We cannot solely rely on parents to teach their children about sex and contraception, and the public education system can play an active role in disseminating this information. The schools together with the parents can bridge the gap of sex education.

The catholic chain of command is the only largest stumbling block as to why the Philippines has not yet legislated a wide-ranging reproductive health program that would to a great extent benefit women, youth, children and the people in general. If the government is amenable to including climate change in the curriculum, why does it continue to object to reproductive health education for students? Political parties are just afraid to antagonize the high-ranking clerics who would instruct the faithful citizens to refuse to comply with public officials and even overpower the electoral chances of obstinate politicians. The government should draft a program on adolescent reproductive health that will integrate sexuality education and fertility awareness in the school curriculum. It should tackle teenage pregnancies and HIV or AIDS, among other issues. Unwanted pregnancy and other adolescent problems are serious threats to the well-being and future of the people.

Here in our country, we recognize the separation of the church and the state. At the same time, we also recognize the rights of those in church as they criticize the acts of the government officials if it constitutes violations of laws and human rights. However, it does not necessarily mean that if the church says NO to a particular action of the government then the administration must agree with the church. The government has its own system of checking whether these bills and laws to be passed are against the constitution. We respect the opinion of the church however the government should act on its own. It must pursue what it thinks would be best to uphold the public good, morals, intelligence, social justice, good health, happiness and prosperity of the citizens.

I would say YES to SEX EDUCATION in SECONDARY EDUCATION unless the church will be able to present a better solution to the social and health problems that our country is currently facing. This is my conviction. This is my stand. Come and Believe me.