'Sex education needed after school'<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Noted psychologist Sarlito Wirawan Sarwono
\nsuggested yesterday that sex education be incorporated into
\nextra-curricular activities, if not in the curriculum itself.<\/p>\n
The professor at University of Indonesia's School of
\nPsychology told a seminar on Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
\n(AIDS) yesterday that there are great opportunities for both the
\ngovernment and the community to provide teenagers with
\ninformation on sex.<\/p>\n
\"If not through formal channels such as the school curriculum,
\nthen we can use other venues, such as radio and television,\" he
\nsaid, adding that information on sex and reproduction should be
\nalways available to teenagers.<\/p>\n
He acknowledged that people's values on sex differ from one
\nethnic group to another. \"It's therefore not easy to decide what
\nmaterials should be given as sex education in school curriculum,\"
\nhe said.<\/p>\n
The seminar, held by Indonesian Christian University,
\ndiscussed ways to increase public awareness of AIDS and HIV.<\/p>\n
\"Teenagers should be the main target for sex education because
\nit will help save them from fatal conditions such as AIDS,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
Sarlito also discussed the opinion of his colleague, Prof.
\nYaumil Agoes Achir, who said that sex education need not be
\nincorporated into the school curriculum and that it would best be
\nleft in the hands of parents.<\/p>\n
Yaumil, who is also a lecturer at the School of Psychology at
\nUniversity of Indonesia, maintained that people are confused as
\nto what experts mean about sex education because of the lack of
\nclear-cut definitions on it.<\/p>\n
Capability<\/p>\n
A participant in the seminar said that it is not enough to
\nleave the matter to parents as a great number of them do not have
\nthe capability or enough knowledge to impart information on sex
\nto their own children.<\/p>\n
Sarlito told The Jakarta Post that it is imperative that
\nhonest discussions on sex are held with teenagers. He pointed out
\nthat the teen years are a critical stage in which, unless proper
\nguidance is given, teenagers may misuse their sexuality.<\/p>\n
Sarlito, who has been campaigning for sex education for
\nteenagers since the 1980s, said that there has been great changes
\nin people's understanding of the issue, but some misperceptions
\nremain.<\/p>\n
People still think sex education entails lessons on how to
\nhave sexual intercourse, a misconception which turns them against
\nintroducing sex education at schools, he said.<\/p>\n
Yesterday, Sarlito also spoke of the need for AIDS awareness
\ncampaigners to reduce their reliance on government assistance.<\/p>\n
\"Many non-governmental organizations for AIDS awareness drives
\nare too dependent on the financial help of the government,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
\"They should instead prove the usefulness of their work to the
\npublic. Later, financial assistance will come to them from the
\npublic,\" he said. (16)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/sex-education-needed-after-school-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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