INTRODUCING SEX EDUCATION IN GUJARAT SCHOOLS

New Delhi, 30 December 2005

New Delhi, December 31 (INFA):  The Gujarat Secondary and Higher Education Board is toying with the idea of introducing sex education in schools under its control.  A specially designed pilot project is being worked out. 

The Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health (ARSH) programme, targeting teenagers of Classes VIII, IX and XI across 15 schools, will cover a broad spectrum of subjects ranging from menstruation to using a condom. 

Once successful, it will be extended to all the schools in the State from 2007-08.

The decision was taken after the Education Board members from across the country met at Thiruvananthapuram, in the recently-held Council for Board and Secondary Education (COBSE) seminar in Kerala. Ten States, including Gujarat, were chosen for the pilot project.

In this age of HIV and AIDS, the officials are hoping to remove misconceptions related to sex, especially among children between 14 and 16 years. Aimed at both, teachers and students, the programme includes explanation – through models, seminars, group, discussions and lectures.

In many small towns, teenagers are not aware of various issues related to sexual health.  The GSHSB will target five schools in Anand and Kheda, two in Ahmedabad, three each in Surat and Mehsana and one school each in Vadodara, Navsari, Patan, Rajkot, Kutch, Bharuch, Gandhinagar, Sabarkanta, Visnagar and Dahod. 

The pilot project would also include lectures on safe sex practices.  This is important as children these days are being influenced by media, including the recent films many of which have explicit scenes, says a senior official.

The training includes modules on how to motivate teenagers to lead a healthy lifestyle once they are to step into adulthood,” says Maharani Senior Secondary Girls School principal Rekha Desai, who will be part of the project. 

There are a number of issues related to reproductive health of girls that are seldom addressed.

Apart from physical changes, girls undergo emotional turmoil as well.  The programme will address all these aspects.

On the importance of sex education, psychiatrist Sandeep Shah says, “Various cultural and media influences have brought tremendous changes in the behaviour of teenagers these days. 

Boys tend to perceive a sexual encounter as a conquest while girls go into depression after a sexual encounter due to guilt.  Children need to be told about the seriousness of the entire issue. ---INFA