Comprehensive Sex Education in Schools - Essay Example

Comprehensive Sex Education In Schools Comprehensive Sex Education In Schools Introduction For years there has been a heavy debate on whether comprehensive education regarding sex and sexual intercourse should be provided through the medium of schools. The problem is that sex education in certain regions especially the western regions is promoted, but on the other hand sex education is frowned upon in much conservative regions such as Asian regions. In Asian regions sex education is frowned upon because sex is considered as a taboo rather than a natural phenomenon.

Whether it is the open minded world or the conservative world, comprehensive sex education should be a compulsory part of the curriculum because it has several benefits that can help in countering various issues experienced throughout the world. Body There are various benefits that can be attained by offering comprehensive sex education in schools. Providing students with sex education at an early age and informing students regarding the negative health effects of indulging in unprotected sexual activity can help in ensuring that the spread of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases can be stopped.

Furthermore, students can be helped in avoiding unwanted pregnancies if they are educated regarding the various issues social, physical and psychological issues they may experience as a result of early age pregnancy. According to Boonstra, usage of contraceptives amongst the female population that was sexually active and aged between 15 to 19 has elevated from 37% to 40% between a two years’ time period and one of the main reason that has caused this increase is comprehensive sex education programs (Boonstra, 2014).

There are various reasons due to which inclusion of sex education is frowned upon by the society. Those societies that believe that sex outside marriage is an unethical and a criminal act perceive that providing sex education rather increases the incidences of sex outside marriage. They believe that sex education informs students regarding safe methods of having sexual intercourse and in turn leads to increase in sexual activity. These societies believe that sex education is against the religious as well as the cultural values that families and societies provide to children and therefore sex education should not be provided.

The problem with backwards thinking societies is that they do not understand that sex is a natural phenomenon. These societies need to realize that sex has a positive impact on the health of the members of the society and individuals need sex to satisfy their needs. In order to ensure that sex education is provided in societies where sex is frowned upon, it is essential to first make the members of the society realize that sex is an activity that individuals will indulge in even if their cultural and religious teachings prohibit such activity.

This will help them in realizing that there are several issues associated with sexual activity and those issues can only be countered through sex education provided in schools. Conclusion Inclusion of a comprehensive sex education program at school level is very necessary to ensure the various health issues that are associated with sexual activity. Societies that are not open minded believe that sex education actually corrupts the mind of children need to realize that sex is a natural phenomenon and it is a need for human survival.

This will help in implementation and promotion of sex education programs in backward societies and help in countering health issues such as HIV. References Boonstra, H. (2014). What Is Behind the Declines in Teen Pregnancy Rates?. Guttmacher.org. Retrieved 12 May 2015, from http://www.guttmacher.org/pubs/gpr/17/3/gpr170315.html