Issue Brief

On

Sexuality Education in Nepal

Issue Brief
On

Sexuality Education in Nepal

Compilation & Editing Medha Sharma Ajay Kumar Uprety Research Support Subrata Lamsal Ursula Utsaha Singh Design & layout Rohan Chalise Published by Youth Activists Leadership Council (YALC) 2012 YALC Issue Brief On Sexuality Education in Nepal YUWA 60 Nirajan Marga, Kharibot, Minbhawan, Kathmandu, Nepal +977 01 4487743 Email: info@yuwa.org.np www.yuwa.org.np www.yuwa.org.np/yalc https://www.facebook.com/yuwanepal https://www.facebook.com/yalcnepal http://twitter.com/Yuwanepal http://twitter.com/YALCnepal

Existing Sexuality Education in Nepal

This subject is intended to meet the increasing demands of the new generation; to learn more about their environment, health, population and their interrelationship. This subject aspires to aware the students about the human, family life and environmental aspects. It also focuses itself on increasing the student's aptitude and develops a positive thinking on national need and social values and norms. Furthermore, it focuses on developing rational thinking capability among the students on the same topic. This curriculum focuses itself on the concept of health, population and health education, demography, causes, effects and management of population change, natural resources, adolescence, sexual and reproductive health, environmental sanitation, disease, nutrition, smoking and drugs, primary health care and safety education, family life education, quality of life, population, environment and development, consumer health, community health, status of environment of Nepal, biodiversity and caring of earth. The subject has been incorporated in the curriculum of Nepal from grade 6 to 10 for a total of 100 full marks, and the course is taught daily. 25% of the total marks are allocated for practical while 75% is allocated for theory.

How sexuality education started?

Sexuality education is a compulsory chapter in EPH (Environment, population and health) subject introduced from class 6 to 10 in Nepal. Earlier, this subject was titled "Health Education" and was a required integrated subject in primary and secondary schools. The subject was introduced in 2049 BS with the objective to have a comprehensive school health program to facilitate students health-related knowledge, attitudes, practice and to have an impact upon their daily lives. However, the subject was not of much importance as it was an optional subject and the attendees of the class were very nominal. Realizing the importance of the subject with the change in time, the subject was renamed as and "Environment, population

health" in 2056 BS with a huge amendment in the curriculum and teaching methodology. The preference of the subject has increased as it is not only integral part of curriculum, but compulsory as well.

owever, The variation in the topics and the information it provides is remarkable. Though, it still has some flaws and lacunae's in it. In the secondary level of education, this curriculum tries to meet some of its objectives; which majorly focuses on:

To explain the interrelationship between health, population and environment education and identify the status of the same.

To bring positive change in behavior for proper problem management and finding solutions regarding population, health and environment. To identify the sexual and reproductive health and introduce them in behavior. To explain various aspects of family and family life education. Current Curriculum CLASS VI 1. HIV 1.1. Stages 1.2. Symptoms CLASS VII 1. HIV 1.1. Family planning 1.2. Safe maternity CLASS VIII 1. Reproductive System 1.1.Male and female system Menstruation Reproductive process Reproduction and health Early marriage 2. HIV 2.1. Background and Education 2.2. Mode of transmission 2.3. Symptoms 3. Syphilis and Gonorrhea 4. Family Health 4.1 Concept of family 4.2. Factors affecting family size

Gaps in the curriculum

The curriculum has kept in mind the various sentiments of the orthodox society of Nepal and has constrained itself. But when compared to the international arena, the curriculum lags far behind. It needs to be upgraded. The curriculum is not age appropriate. The

subject is introduced from class 6 but SRH education is included only in class 9 and 10. Students already know more than those in text books through other sources by that time. Students are exposed to the subject much later than when they should actually have been. All the information is flooded in class 9 all of a sudden rather than gradually introducing age appropriate topics. The curriculum is not comprehensively commensurate to the curiosity of the students. Teachers often face the challenge of teaching things that are out of curriculum so as to update the students. The curriculum is only a basic guideline for lessons and exams but things are not practically included.

Sexuality education and reproductive

CLASS IX 1. planning of family 2. Women participation in family planning 3. Planning of family for future 4. Family life education 4.1. Introduction 4.2. Types and characteristics 5. Responsibility of parents towards children 6. Birth spacing 6.1. artificial and natural contraceptives methods (details) 7. Major of population control 7.1. status of education of women 7.2. gender equality 8. Gender issue, intervention and advocacy in Nepal 9. Advice for safer sexual behavior (ABC) 10. Sex Education 10.1. main streaming of sexual education in national and international level 11. Reproductive Health 12. Area of Reproductive and Sexual Health 13. Sexual and Reproductive right 14. Reproductive system of male & female 15. Menstruation 16. Conception, pregnancy and birth 17. Safe Motherhood 18. Symptoms of pregnancy 19. Problem of pregnancy 20. Abortion CLASS X 1. HIV

education are two different things. The curriculum only talks about reproductive health and very less is mentioned about sexual health. There is gap between theory and practical education. This subject cannot have practical demonstration in class, but it could be like life time learning. Only the theoretical covering of the reproductive issue without letting the students know about the technical terms makes it really absurd for them. Several topics are mentioned just but not explained. It means that the curiosity of the students will grow. For e.g.. Process of sex is mentioned but not explained. Similarly, abortion has just been mentioned, but with least explanation. The curriculum does not mention anything about discussing the matters at home with the parents or other guardians. The curriculum also does not mention about the methods of information access during time of any curiosity. The curriculum does not mention any thing about other aspects of sexuality like love, marriage, commitments and other sexual emotions.

Recommendation
Though it is a worthy initiative, the curriculum has raised growing need for amendment with the change in time and society. Being a life skill based education, the curriculum needs to be amended routinely, a least once every 5 years. For the upcoming amendment, following recommendations have been put forth:

Make SRH education age appropriate and introduce them as early as possibly, ideally from class 5 for now. Introduce sexuality education rather than just reproductive health education. Enhance the teaching methodology by providing training to the teachers, and refreshment training periodically The curriculum does not open up; it is the teacher who needs to open up. Teachers need to get themselves ready to face the challenges of teaching in class and at the same prepare out of the box.

Group discussions and making the students to act in a small drama regarding few topics can be easy for the teachers to make the classroom interesting and will also be easy for the teacher to explain.

Suggested curriculum
CLASS VI 1. HIV -Stages -Symptoms 2. Planning of Family -Size 3. Bodily changes -Differences and similarities between boys and girls -Psychological changes during adolescent -How to cope up with the changes 4. Gender - Introduction and characteristics -differences between sex and gender

CLASS VII 1. HIV -causative agent -Symptoms -Prevention -Mode of transmission 2. Family planning -Safe maternity - Size of family 3. Process of growing up -changes occur in puberty Physical change Mental change Emotional change Social change 3. Sexuality and its dimensions -Expressions of sexuality 4. Menstruation - Introduction -Signs and Symptoms - Cleanliness - Problems - Sexual health and hygiene - Emotional changes 5. Sexual abuse - Prevention - Types of touch 6. Contraceptive methods

CLASS VIII 1. Reproductive system - Male and Female system - Menstruation - Reproductive process - Reproduction and health 2. Sexually transmitted diseases and infections - Syphilis Introduction Symptoms Mode of transmission Prevention - Gonorrhea Introduction Symptoms Mode of transmission Prevention - HIV Introduction Symptoms Mode of transmission Prevention 3. Family health - Concept of family - Factors affecting family size 4. Concept of sexual and reproductive health 5 .Problems of adolescent -Unsafe sexual relation -Peer pressure -Imitation -Sexual abuse -Early marriage 6. Sex and sexuality -Introduction to Sex and Sexuality -Dimensions of sexuality -Expressions of sexuality

CLASS IX 1. Family life education -Introduction -Types and characteristics -Responsibility of parents towards children -Women participation in family planning -Planning of family for future -Marriage 2. Population Management -Measures of population control Birth spacing Appropriate age of marriage Status and education of women Gender equality Birth control methods Natural contraceptive devices Artificial contraceptive devices 3. Gender issue, intervention and advocacy in Nepal - Women health and reproductive health -Women and civil code -Women and violence -Women and property right - Gender advocacy in Nepal 4. Adolescent -changes in adolescent -demand and need of adolescent -problems of adolescent -management of adolescents problem 5. Sex education -Rational of sex education - Main streaming of sexual education in national and international level 6. Reproductive health -concept of reproductive health -introduction to reproductive health -areas of reproductive and asexual health Family planning Safe motherhood Infant and Child care Control of unsafe abortion and its consequences RTIs, STIs, HIV and AIDS Control and treatment of infertility Adolescent sexual and reproductive health Reproductive health problem of adult women -Sexual and reproductive right -Reproductive system Male reproductive system Female reproductive system Menstruation Conception, Pregnancy and Birth -Safe motherhood Introduction to safe motherhood Symptoms of Pregnancy Problem of pregnancy Abortion

CLASS X 1. Sexually transmitted diseases and infections -Syphilis Introduction Symptoms Mode of transmission Prevention -Gonorrhea Introduction Symptoms Mode of transmission Prevention -Genital herpes Introduction Symptoms Mode of transmission Prevention -HIV/AIDS Introduction Symptoms Mode of transmission Prevention -Chlamydia Introduction Symptoms Mode of transmission Prevention -Hepatitis B Introduction Symptoms Mode of transmission Prevention 2. Sexual reproductive health right (SRHR) -Background -International SRH rights and National Policies, Laws and structure -Rights related to abortion - Right and responsibility - Need and importance of SRHR - Social cultural, political, ethnic barriers related to SRH -Relation between rights and sexuality 4. Contraceptive methods 5. Conceptions and Pregnancy 6. Sexual development -Physical change -Mental change -Emotional change -Social change 7. Abortion -Introduction -Safe abortion -Unsafe abortion -Availability of services for safe abortion 9. Factors effecting sexual reproductive health

Youth Activists Leadership Council 2012