Schools lose autonomy to hire external programme providers
By
Theresa Tan
On Thursday, education Minister Ng Eng Hen emphasised that sexuality education remained an important part of what schools teach. -- ST PHOTO: LIM WUI LIANG
THE Education Ministry is tightening its processes to vet and approve external agencies allowed to provide sexuality education in schools.
From now, schools no longer have the autonomy to hire external providers of sexuality education programmes. They will have to choose from a list vetted and approved by the ministry.
The Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) will not be on the list. Its sexuality education programme came under attack during its recent leadership struggle when critics charged that it promoted homosexuality.
Aware's trainers will not go to schools, the ministry said, until the group gains the trust of the public for its sexuality programme.
The ministry is also stepping up consultation with experts on what to teach during lessons on sex and sexuality.
And it will make sure parents get more information about what is taught, so that those who prefer not to have their children in sexuality education classes can opt out.
But, in announcing these moves on Thursday, Education Minister Ng Eng Hen emphasised that sexuality education remained an important part of what schools teach.
The reason is plain in the number of young girls getting pregnant each year, and the rising number of boys and girls contracting sexually-transmitted diseases and the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which causes Aids.
A fact of life in Singapore is that some youngsters are sexually active, and children have many more sources of information about sex today - the Internet, popular culture and their friends, as well as exposure to a variety of social norms.
'If we don't give them information, they will get it elsewhere. Hence, it is important for them to be able to receive objective and reliable information in schools,' Dr Ng said.
