Is it Best to Educate Young Ones About Sexuality at Home or in School?

Sex education is a broad term that encompasses a wide range of topics that relate to human sexual anatomy, sexual intercourse, sexual reproduction, reproductive health, reproductive rights, contraception, and other aspects of human sexual behaviour. 

Sex education can be a part of school programs but preferably should be informally taught by parents or guardians or through various public health campaigns.

Sex education is also related to ‘sexuality education,’ which means that it also covers all aspects of human sexuality. As such, it would involve discussions about reproduction, family planning, and all the elements of your sexuality.

Human sexuality in itself is a term that takes into account your body image; gender identity, sexual orientation; morals and values; communication and decision making; dating and relationships.

Human sexuality also includes more sensitive topics such as sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and methods of birth control. As mentioned earlier sex education can be taught informally, in ways such as discussing the matter with parents or friends. It can also be taught by religious leaders, advocate groups, government campaigns or through mass media. 

The subject of sexuality can also be effectively delivered through sex self-help authors, blog posts, newspaper and magazine articles, or through some credible sources of sex education on the internet.

Sex education from the onset has remained a sensitive and controversial issue in many societies of several nations. For example, there are schools that incorporate sex education as a part of the curriculum, particularly in junior secondary school or senior secondary school levels. 

In some other instances, sex education just forms part of a broader topic like biology, health and fitness or physical and health education. There are also some schools with no sex education in their curriculum, since there has been much debate as to the age at which students can be exposed to such sensitive topics.

The amount of information that should be taught, and topics dealing with human sexual behaviours.Whenever sex education is subjected to debates, the main argument is whether discussing sexuality is beneficial or detrimental to teenagers. 

Among the points of contention are the use of birth control, teenage pregnancy, abortion and the transmission of diseases. Studies have shown that in countries who have conservative attitude towards sex education tend to have a higher incidence of teenage pregnancy and STIs.

There are other pressing issues that have come to the fore and have fueled a new sense of urgency to the topic of sex education. Perhaps the most glaring example is the unprecedented spread of the AIDS virus. 

In Africa for instance, where AIDS has reached pandemic proportions, sex education is viewed by experts as a key part of developing an effective public health strategy. The Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States (SIECUS) reported the following that:

About 93% of adults who took part in their survey professed support for sex education in senior secondary school and 84% supported to have sex education introduced in junior secondary school level. 

Moreover, 88% of parents of junior secondary school students and 80% of parents of senior secondary school students believe that formal sex education would make it easier for them to candidly talk to their teenagers about sex.