A curriculum on sex education, prepared in 2013, is gathering dust due to the government’s alleged lacklustre attitude to implement it in schools.
Though it has been the demand of many physiologists, especially those dealing with psychological disorders of adolescents, yet the government allegedly appears to be in no mood to implement the curriculum.
Ashok Pai, psychologist and chairman, Karnataka Mental Health Taskforce, who is a staunch advocate of sex education, was unhappy with the government’s reluctance to introduce sex education in schools.
Regretting that sex education is still treated as ‘taboo’ in society, he lamented that even the government is falling for this false notion.
Dr. Pai is primarily unhappy with some religious leaders allegedly issuing ‘diktats’ to the government on sex education.
“I believe that many religious leaders, who are opposing sex education, have not even tried to understand the gravity of the situation, and the psychological problems faced by adolescents without proper knowledge. Is it not the job of a Biology teacher to tell what is a menstrual cycle and the importance of hygiene or the biological changes happen among the boys and girls when they become adolescents,” Dr. Pai asked.
About the curriculum, he said that it has been prepared in a simple form based on the understanding ability of students and due to some objections, some ‘harsh’ words have also been removed from the curriculum.
