Sex education: It's about time

Every year at this time, we are reminded about the critical state of education in the country, with news reports repeatedly showing jam-packed classrooms, many of them still in a dismal state of disrepair, the perennial lack of books, teachers, and facilities all over the country. While the Department of Education tried to put on a positive spin on the news saying they are hoping for sunny skies and that they are ready to welcome the 21 million public school students in the elementary and high school levels, there is no denying the fact that things are not much better than before. According to the chairman of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers, there is a “shortage of 61,343 classrooms; 54,060 teachers; 4,538 principals and 6,437 head teachers; 816,219 seats and 113,051 water and sanitation facilities.”

It doesn’t have to take an expert to note that a big reason why the quality of education in this country has continually eroded is the fact that there are just too many students than can possibly be accommodated, with many public schools registering a high classroom to student ratio of 1:75. Even the DepEd’s target ratio of 1:45 is still too high. It is simply too difficult – if not impossible – for a teacher to effectively teach students when she can’t even remember their names because there are just too many of them.

Filipinos see education as their only hope to break from the chains of poverty – since they consider education as the great equalizer. Jejomar Binay is an example of one who worked himself out of poverty through education, sheer determination and most of all, paying his way through school. But this is just one of the few examples of success stories and is more an exception rather than the rule, with most children needing the help of government to put themselves through college because that is the only way out of poverty. While many wish to send their children to private schools, they simply could not afford it, especially with 40 percent of the population belonging to the lower sector of society and living a “hand-to-mouth” existence.

Government is trying all kinds of programs to help the poor and mitigate their situation – like giving P500 cash dole-outs to help families pay for electricity, to the so-called Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps that gives conditional “cash transfers” to qualified poor families for health, education and food amounting to as much as P1,400 a month. But these dole-outs will only have short-lived results that will not lift a family out of poverty and could even promote the so-called “mendicant mentality,” critics pointed out.

Economists have long seen the connection between dismal poverty and a high population growth rate – which is why the introduction of sex education in the school curriculum should be welcomed rather than criticized or condemned. The subject matter will be handled clinically and scientifically, with discussions to center on the functions of body parts and the reproductive system. As far as I understand, the materials will not include sexually graphic photos or illustrations, so I don’t see any reason why the ultra-conservative should find it offensive.

As explained by DepEd officials, teachers will even include lessons on hygiene, the proper behavior between boys and girls, how to tell if relatives or older people are showing “inappropriate behavior,” and the consequences of unwanted pregnancies. After all, the reproductive system has long been incorporated in health and science classes over the years. The clinical discussion will even assuage the curiosity of students especially teenagers who are more at risk if they discover sexuality from other sources like the Internet, the movies or other people. And contrary to apprehensions by some sectors, lessons will not include the use of condoms and other contraceptives (which the Catholic Church has blamed as the cause of promiscuity among the youth).

Many agree that the introduction of the Adolescent Reproductive Health program in public schools can help lessen unwanted pregnancies and lower maternal mortality rates – which is at a high rate of 162 deaths for every 100,000 women (per 2006 data), one of the highest in the region. Health experts say the country experienced the golden age of reproductive health policy in the 1990s when the Department of Health developed a 10-point program promoting the health of women and children. Since 2001 however, the program has consistently eroded because of pressure from the Church. Hopefully, the incoming Aquino administration will have a clear-cut policy on population management and will be more emphatic on the need to lower the high population growth rate in the country. Perhaps now the Reproductive Health Bill will finally be enacted into law and give couples informed choices and encourage them to have the number of children that they can raise properly and sufficiently provide for. Should we have sex education in school? You better believe it – and it’s about time.

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Dodie King, the Philippine Amusement Gaming Corp. (PAGCOR) vice president for corporate communications and also one of our Board members at the Manila Overseas Press Club, called me yesterday to explain that the resignation of Efraim Genuino as PAGCOR chairman has nothing to do with the recent allegations made in Ted Failon’s program. Dodie tells me Genuino’s departure was decided upon since it was clear that the incoming Aquino administration would like to have a free hand in selecting the next chairman, which he fully understood. Dodie however told me that Genuino would like to make sure that the next PAGCOR chief would be fully briefed on the projects of the agency, one of which is the New Na-yong Pilipino Entertainment City, Genuino’s brainchild. The outgoing PAGCOR chief has offered his services either as adviser or someone to run the entertainment and tourism complex, which is a landmark project of the gaming agency.

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