In a bid by the UK Government to reduce teen pregnancies, children as young as five will have sex lessons to counter Britain’s ‘patchy’ attitude towards sex and relationships.At present, children at school must be taught about reproduction, but it’s up to individual schools how much they want to discuss the relationships side of things. Now that’s about to change. In the first few years of primary school, children will get basic classes in identifying body parts. Later they will have lessons in reproduction and relationships. Pupils at secondary school will look at the importance of marriage and civil relationships.
Schools Minister Jim Knight said that sex education before the age of puberty would reduce teenage pregnancy rates. Britain currently has the highest rate in Europe - the number of abortions in girls under the age of sixteen rose by 10 percent last year.
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"It is important that we as a society allow better sex and relationship education in both primary and secondary schools without sexualising young people too early," he said.
"It is right to share the responsibility between home and school."
Maria Miller, shadow families minister, said: "We support sensible sex and relationship education for children at an appropriate age. However, we oppose policies that would involve five-year-olds being taught about sex. We think that every parent must have the right to withdraw their child from such lessons."
October 2008 |
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