Action: Karnataka Govt proposes to reject sex education in schools

April 20, 2007

Dear Forum,

We would like to bring to your notice that the Karnataka government has rejected

sex education in schools outright. The following news item appeared on the front

page of The Hindu, 19th April 2007 " Nay to Sex Education, Aye to Moral

Classes " which carries statements made by the Chief Minister who thinks that sex

education is for foreigners. The education Minister has now said that they will

come out with their final decision within 15 days. We need to come together in

solidarity against the government on this.

Lawyers Collective HIV/AIDS Unit, Bangalore.

e-mail: aidslaw2@....

_____________

BANGALORE: It is " no " to sex education in high schools. The State Government

will, instead, go in for " moral education " from the next academic year.

Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy on Wednesday made it clear that the

Government was against introduction of sex education as a subject, saying it

would not be in the students' interests.

" Let the Centre introduce it. My Government is totally against imparting sex

education. The Government is against aping Western culture in the school

syllabus, " Mr. Kumaraswamy told reporters when his reaction was sought on the

issue.

" Sex education does not go well with our country's culture and traditions. "

Moreover, it will be perceived as " anti-culture " and " anti-social. " " Our State

is not a foreign country, " the Chief Minister said.

Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj S. Horatti said the

Government would announce its final decision on the matter within 15 days. (But

he later told *The Hindu* that the Government would introduce moral education in

schools from June.)

Diverse views

Addressing presspersons after a meeting with social activists,

representatives of non-governmental organisations and education and medical

experts, Mr. Horatti said they were divided in their views on introducing sex

education in schools.

A programme to train teachers in imparting sex education, initiated by the

National AIDS Control Organisation and the United Nations Children's Fund,

targets students in the age group of 15 to 17. The Government has already

trained teachers in 11 districts to orient them to the teaching methodology.

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