Religious leaders should take up teaching of sexuality education – Stakeholders
NAN-H-32
Sexuality
Enugu, Aug. 16, 2017 (NAN) Some stakeholders in the education sector in the South East have backed the teaching of sexuality in schools, but said religious leaders should handle the responsibility.
The stakeholders said in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the subject was important and should be taught at home and secondary schools.
Others, though, disagreed, saying it would corrupt morals and is in conflict with culture and religion.
A civil servant in Imo State Ministry of Agriculture, Mrs Nnena Igwe, said she would only support the idea if religious leaders take up the assignment.
She argued that if sexuality education is applied as part of teaching in the churches, more morality would be attached to it rather than teaching it in the school.
According to Igwe, considering the level of corruption in the country, the original idea of such agenda would be defeated if allowed to go to the public domain.
“Our lecturers are corrupt; the students are corrupt and the intent of both the teachers and students would definitely be different from what the massage was meant for, so it cannot work,” she said.
A legal practitioner in Imo, Mrs Blessing Iweajunwa, said if sexuality education was adopted in the school system, there should be designated people to convey the message.
“Government can appoint some religious leaders to visit schools, assign them to undertake such assignment, otherwise it will be counterproductive,” she said
A parent in Owerri, Mrs Emelia Akanwa, said qualified teachers should be recruited to handle the subject.
“We must not shy away from letting our children know the truth about sex because they are exposed daily to sexual activities much earlier now than before.
“Since the school is a place for character moulding and nurturing, it is good if our children are taught how to take care of their sexual lives especially at puberty to avoid getting themselves involved in sex activities that can ruin their lives and career.
“At secondary school, teenagers begin to experience physical, emotional, physiological as well as psychological changes that begin to shape, mould and influence their world views including their perception toward the opposite sex.
“These occurrences especially with regard to their sexual inclinations are better handled when they have adequate knowledge on how to go about it, “Akanwa said.
A retired secondary school teacher and mother of five, Dr Veronica Njoku, said teaching sexuality education would increase immorality in the society.
“We are an under developed nation and we do not need to assume the place of a developed nation.
“What we are suffering today in the hands of our young generation is borrowed influence from developed nations and we are paying dearly for it,” she said.
Mrs Nkechi Omeja-Ogbu Chairman,Enugu State House of Assembly Committee on Gender, however, said teaching the subject in schools was long overdue in view of frequent cases of sexual abuses all over the country.
Omeja-Ogbu argued that only an informed child would be able to overcome the challenges posed by sexual matters and take informed decision.
A teacher at Queens School Enugu, Mrs Rebecca Agbo noted imparting sexuality education in Nigeria would be hampered by religious and cultural beliefs.
Agbo said most cultures are totally against the exposure of children to such knowledge because of the belief that it would make children wild and irresponsible.
She said such ideas should be discouraged by discarded to ensure healthy sexual development and growth of children.
Mrs Monica Obi, a parent, said teaching sexuality education at home was important, as parents were more conversant with their children behaviours and would be able to know the right time, mood, and tactics to use in imparting the knowledge.
According to her, it would make the children to be open to their parents in discussing sexual related issues without fear.
“Parent should discourage them completely from indulging in early sex; they should outline the dangers of pre-marital sex and teach them how to handle sex related issues at the early stage of their sexual development,” she said.
Mrs Blessing Ezeoke, a Director in Ebonyi State Ministry of Education, said introducing sexuality education in schools remained the best option in educating the youths on the risks involved in unwholesome sexual activities.
She said it would help them to develop the capacity to tackle sex related issues including negative sexual contents in the media and Internet.
“Sexuality education teaches students the facts about contraception, repercussions of casual sex, and the prevention of diseases from a medical perspective.
“This is in addition to teaching teenagers about building healthy relationships and how to say “no” to sexual advances,” Ezeoke said.
A parent, Mr Benjamin Ezeoma, said that sex education would help youths acquire discipline and moral probity in issues relating to sexuality and sexual conduct, as well as develop skills that would assist them imbibe positive sexual behaviour.
“It teaches students how to imbibe positive sexual culture against sexual pervasion which includes homosexuality, lesbianism, incest among others and the current legal provisions concerning them in Nigeria,” Ezeoma said.
Two teachers, Messrs Augustine Igwe and Kenneth Orji said the children need to be taught issues about sexuality, so that when they attain poverty, they would be able to manage the changes that come with it.
“This is a very critical stage in the child’s upbringing for every parent as it is a time when extra care must be taken or else the child becomes a problem child for the family.
“Sex topics are still not discussed in some homes. It is so bad that a child who has the guts to talk or ask questions about sexuality is looked at as being promiscuous and is quickly scolded.
“Ignorance can be dangerous. Sex is a natural part of life and when questions arise, they should be discussed in a matured way.
“There is so much to be gained by our teenagers from the formal teaching of sexuality education in our schools instead of allowing them to get the wrong knowledge from their peers and unqualified persons.’’
Dr Jude Amakulo a lecturer with Alvan Ikoku Federal Collage of Education, contended that teaching the subject would pose no problem.
“We have had in the past cases of young girls falling victims due to ignorance of sexual realities; I advocate that government should implement it both in secondary and tertiary schools,’’ he said.
Another lecturer with Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Rev. Fr. Innocent Ekeagwu also expressed support, saying it would help expose children to basic biological and psychological changes that occur as they grow.
He said that a child that was not properly enlightened about those changes stood the risk of sexual abuse, pre-marital sex and unwanted pregnancy.
The clergyman further noted that because religion and African culture frown at sexuality education, the content of the syllable should be well streamlined and structured for maximum benefit to the child and society.
A parent, Mrs Blessing Chima, said the subject should be taught in primary and secondary schools to reduce the risks of sexual abuse.
She said, “when a child is properly informed, he is not easily deformed; sexuality education helps to drastically reduce the risk of unwanted pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.’’
Chima, who is a health worker, further said that sexuality education would help the child know his rights, adding that the subject is not in conflict with religion and culture.
Mrs. Alice Omenegor, a nurse and mother of three in Asaba, said children should be taught “which parts of their body are private and be able to tell their mothers when someone touches them.
“It is my belief that if we allow then to know some of these things that we tend to hide from them from an early age, it will help them have a better understanding of sexuality as they grow up.”
Dr Larry Nwaokolo, a paediatrician, said sexuality education was important for every child psychological and social development.
“Psychologically, a child needs sex education when growing up, irrespective of our various religious and cultural beliefs because it is necessary for the development of the child.
“If we fail to teach the children about sex because of cultural beliefs, we are only helping to create fears and uncertainties that would manifest sooner or later in the life of the child,” he said.
A clergy, Rev. Fr. Andrew Mozia of St. Patricks Catholic Church, Asaba, supported the idea, saying that there was no religious taboo in teaching a child about sexuality.
“Religiously, there is nothing bad in teaching a child about sexuality,’’ he said, adding that parents, teachers and guardians should guide the children on the path of goodness including what is good to know about sex and human relationship.
He said parents should jettison cultural beliefs and teach their children what they ought to know about sexuality to help them take decisions as they grow up.
Mrs Rose Osisioma, Principal, Young Achievers Model College, Asaba, said failing to teach children about sex would deny them understanding of the moral and social implications of managing adolescent stages of life.
“As parents and teachers, we must help our children to know about sex and the human body, especially the private sensitive parts of the body. It is never a taboo to learn about sex.
“If we fail to do so, the implication is that the child may have to learn about it in a wrong way, which would be disastrous for the family and the society at large.’’
Rev. Simeon Obomo, the General Overseer, Devine Redemption Assembly Inc. Agbor, also said it was better to let children know the hidden truth about sex than allow them make mistakes that would haunt them for life.
Miss Perpetual Nkwor, an 18-year-old SSS 3 student, said having early knowledge about sexuality would help check “ugly cases of child sexual molestation and abuse.
“Most of these sex crimes occur because the victims are ignorant; many children are scared to talk about the sexual organs of the body, so they usually suffer in silence when being molested.” (NAN)
Reporters/CEO/ JEO/MZA
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Edited by Chidi Opara/Maharazu Ahmed