Sex education is an issue our society has given little or no attention to, downplaying its importance as it affects the upbringing of children.
Many schools have derogated from their responsibility to ensure children’s recognition of acceptable social norms, resulting in decaying society.
In this article, I will go through the reasons why sex education should be taught in all schools.
Sex education from this perspective is a form of education acquired or given to young and unmarried persons to make them better understand the benefits of healthy sexual behaviour and the risks of unhealthy sexual practices and behaviour. It is a process whereby teenagers learn or are taught the benefits of sexual abstinence and the dangers of pre-marital sex and sexual misbehaviour.
It is advisable that children be taught sex education at the age of 8-10. According to research done at the Georgetown University, Washington, DC, sexuality begins emerging in younger adolescents, who are defined as those between 10-14 years, and this is the time a kid first experience changes in their body and start experimenting with sexual behaviour.
Furthermore, it shows that if sex education is taught at this time when adolescents are still malleable and relatively free of sexual and reproductive health problems and gender role bias, very young adolescents can be guided safely through this life stage, supported by their parents, families and communities, which include schools.
Sex education is meant to caution children against immoral behaviour and to help them adopt healthy sexual practices. In its overall effect, it promotes their spirit of academic excellence. Sex education makes a student perform creditably in class. It enhances his knowledge.
A student who is taught effective sex education will never have his attention diverted. This is because, having knowledge of the risks involved in sexual misbehaviour, students who do not want to be wayward and mediocre always concentrate on their studies and never allow anything to affect them. This helps to boost their academic performance, making them uncrowned kings and queens of academy.
It is common knowledge that sex education is important and necessary for the proper upbringing of children and should be taught in schools.
However, it is shocking and disheartening to note that some schools, especially missionary or religious schools always take umbrage at the word ‘Sex’ — they consider it as a taboo. They find the use of this word so offensive even when used in the most appropriate manner.
More disconcerting, some of these schools would choose to use threat as measure to caution their students against indecent conduct, which will no doubt only make them more corrupt unnoticed.
Also, some are always under the illusion that sex education will only induce, encourage and boost a child’s sexual urge or proclivity. This is a fallacy!
To disprove this erroneous perception, there is a story of two school children — friends, who engaged in a conversation about their schools. One of them, a girl, who was assumed to be dull in class began to put up outstanding and amazing performance when she learnt to keep from sexual misbehaviour, avoiding distraction. This was attributed to effective sex education being taught in her school. The reverse was the case for her friend from the other school.
The conversation:
Joyce: Dooshima, there are more brilliant students in your school than mine.
Dooshima: Yes, Joyce, and my school isn’t as big as yours.
Joyce: But there’s not much difference between the two schools in terms of teaching.
Dooshima: Yes, but also look at the other side of it.
Joyce: How?
Dooshima: The students in your school behave more mischievously and they’re also corrupt.
Joyce: Yes, that’s true. But is that enough reason to justify your point?
Dooshima: Moreso, they’re not serious about their academic work, perhaps due to sexual misbehaviour.
Joyce: You’re right, Dooshima. Most of the students in my school always talk about love, reading love books and even watching pornographic movies. They take delight in these things rather than their books.
Dooshima: It’s quite unfortunate, Joyce. They dedicate their time to all that so they hardly read their books.
Joyce: Yes, and this is interfering with their academic performance. Their thoughts are now filled with only sex.
Dooshima: Now you see, Joyce. In my school, we’re taught the dangers of sexual misbehaviour in relation to academics, so every student tries to behave in a way most acceptable cos everyone wants a bright future.
When a student, especially one who appears lazy is not taught effective sex education, the success of his academic pursuit is at stake. The lack of this knowledge of moral etiquette will drastically undermine his academic performance.
It should be noted that, most of the students that are seen to be dull in class are not really dull, but only lazy on account of distractions; sexual distraction. They really do not know the implications of this distraction with regard to their academic endeavour.
Unarguably, in our contemporary schools, there is insufficient awareness of sex education to keep students from indecent thoughts and conduct, which is a major reason for abysmal school performance. Therefore, there is every need for sex education to be taught in schools. There is a saying that, “Information is power.” Students need this sort of information so they could be armed with a sense of decency and modesty.
Other reasons why sex education should be taught in schools are:
- It helps students to avoid distraction and concentrate more on their studies.
- It helps students develop the courage to easily resist sexual advances from the opposite sex.
- It helps students develop the reading culture.
- It makes students to not think about irrelevance and unnecessary things, especially during classes and when they are reading.
- It makes students put up their best performance, thereby making them uncrowned kings and queens of academy.
Guidance and counselling tips to help students stand above matters of sex as regard academic performance.
- Avoid reading or thinking about things connected with sex.
- Avoid watching pornography. It gives an urge for sex which could lead you to misbehaviour.
- Do not spend too much time watching movies. Prolong use of television could be obsessive and will affect your studies negatively.
- Do not allow yourself to be disturbed or distracted by the sexual advances or conversations from opposite sex. This could cause loss of attention during classes.
- Do not allow sex to occupy your mind. This will affect your memory and lead to poor academic performance.
