Pupils 'need sex education'
2001-08-14 21:43
Pretoria - Informing learners about sexuality can no longer be relegated to "lessons about the birds and the bees" and biology classes.
"Children must learn how important relationships are - but not through friends, initiation or television. The answer lies in education."
This statement was made on Tuesday by Education Minister Kader Asmal on the eve of a conference on sex education. The conference starts on Sunday afternoon.
Asmal said that children had a right to innocence. "It is imperative that the education system changes to ensure this right."
"There is a huge need for intellectual, moral mobilisation in the country. The lack of information and education, combined with ignorance among young people about sexuality, is threatening the society," Asmal said.
According to Asmal, "sex education should not prescribe to people what they should do, but we can start by protecting children and by giving them the right to dignity and integrity".
Asmal said that although the issue is considered "sensitive", it cannot be swept under the carpet. "We have to start talking about it."
He said that there was growing concern over the high number of teenage pregnancies . "It can have a radical influence on education, especially when one takes into account that learners are sexually active from a much younger age. Ten-year-olds have even been found to be sexually active."
Asmal said that the conference could not be held at a better time, considering the recent horrific reports on sexual violence and abuse of young girls, as well as the high risk behaviour of the youth.
According to him, many young girls feel unsafe in the school environment and charges are often not brought against perpetrators.
The aim of the conference is to provide learners with a positive view on sexuality and to empower them to make the right decisions. The department hopes to compile a set of guidelines after the conference to communicate to schools what, where and how they should be educating learners on sexuality.
Khangelani Dumani of the UDM said in a statement "the silence surrounding rape and sexual abuse should be broken". The youth movement of the party was concerned about this "barbaric behaviour". According to him, many of these incidents can be avoided by a police presence when children are walking to school.