Sex Education in India : It’s relevance
The debate over the relevance of sex education in schools is gaining new heights. The discussion mainly relates to ethical and cultural issues prevailing in our society at large.
Sex education mainly contains issues relating sex, sexual habits, drives and desires, its physiological and anatomical description and also, psychological impact on children.
It is doubled by many that such curricular would instigate sexual desires, which would in turn be harmful. But, optimists believe that sex education is not a taboo, but urgent necessity in the current scenario.
In the modern world, technology is fast changing. Now we observe decentralization of technological reach. Now children are more exposed to scientific discoveries. Transmission of information, visuals, etc. are now easier compared to previous decade.
Nevertheless, many a times because of such wide ranging exposure to various media like satellite channel, internet or comic books, children come in touch with various sexually explicit images, prints or dialogue. At a tender age, like adolescence, their inquisitiveness to know about them may increase. There may be many feeble minded students, whose sex drive would make them restless and they may end up committing sexual offences. As they say, little knowledge is a dangerous.
It is one such ground that sex education becomes so very much important. It is mainly to grant children a healthy understanding of a natural biological process. It is also one way to remove any kind cultural deadlock observed in students from heterogeneous background.
Keeping in mind the truth of heterogeneous background, it should be recalled that each and every student might not wavelength. So, it would be better if the method of teaching process is a systematic step by step manner.
Again, the selection of teaching staff is very crucial .Sexually offensive terms used by an elderly doctor at Sardar Patel school cautions all. Teachers, parents and student community. Such mistake should be controlled. So, it is better if teachers selected for such responsible tasks to have a clean image through. There should be strict observance by the head of the school to check that no teacher misuse children’s innocence by using vulgar language , which is not desirable. Installation of CCTV in classes, where sex education is imparted is necessary. It is for strict observation.
Sex education should not only confine to imparting knowledge about physiological and anatomical description, dos and don’ts, etc. But, it should also let the students understand kinds of sexual abuse, molesting, etc. This is prominent in today’s society, irrespective of nationhood, state, language, caste, race, etc.
It can make children aware of the gestures and movements of lusting hawks and how to be careful. It would be better if they also learn to be fearless enough to raise an alarm if they fall into such ugly trap. Sometimes such ugly trap can be laid even by family members like cousins, uncles, aunts, grand-parents or even parents.
Many a times, conservative cultural background also restricts children to be fearless in such account. Both teachers and parents should co-operative to help children in breaking such nut-shell.
Again, Sex education should not be confined to schools and colleges only. Rather, it should reach even to places where children do no get privilege to reach premises of schools. Sexual crime, particularly against children is prominent in slum area. The Nithari incident called as ‘India’s Shame’ is a burning example of how poor and illiterate children fall trap of lusting hawks.
As we all understand knowledge is empowerment from ignorance. So sex education is also a part of knowledge transmission. Every child has a right to know about themselves and their safety. So, it should never be misunderstood. But, the curriculum should be designed in such a way that children’s mindset is not misdirected. This can go a long way in controlling many problems like AIDS, sexual crimes, pre-marital unhealthy Sex relation and the like. These problems are faced by the whole world. Sex education is very important in India, particularly North-east, where number of AIDS patient is ever-increasing, particularly among the Y-generation. Along with that, the children should also be taught how to control themselves through yoga, meditation, etc.
