Sex education 'endorsed' for school curriculum

JAKARTA (JP): Sex education should be made part of the school curriculum to provide accurate information on sex as early as possible and head off unwanted consequences of teen sexual experimentation, a psychologist and a sexologist said here at the weekend.

Psychological consultant Ami Siamsidar and Ramona Sari, an instructor on sex education training, urged the government Saturday to include sex education in all levels of the formal school curriculum.

Classes were necessary to give students standard information on the subject, the two said in a seminar on sex education for teenagers, held by Centra Mitra Muda youth center.

Ami said natural sexual urges inevitably prodded teenagers to consider sexual experimentation.

"How dangerous, then, if they do not receive proper information on sexual matters."

Ami acknowledged it would take time to introduce the subject into the school curriculum because it had not been considered previously by the government and there were many teachers against discussion of sex in schools.

"So, before sex education is formally taught in schools, it should first be socialized among teachers. How can they pass the right knowledge and right teaching methods to students if they still consider it a taboo?"

She warned it was important to treat sex education as a serious subject, or else it would descend into vulgar and immature treatment.

"Terminology on sexual anatomy should be expressed as scientifically as possible. For example, if we are to inform children, we should avoid using 'bird' for penis as children will be confused on differentiating it from the real bird."

Ami said parents could start to inform children about sexual matters whenever the latter asked.

She believed poor information and ignorance of sexuality were the cause of an increase in teen sex problems.

Evidence was that the number of teenagers infected with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) was on the rise, she added.

Data from the School of Medicine of the University of Indonesia shows 70 percent of male teenagers in Jakarta with sexual problems had an STD.

Ramona said the actual number was probably much higher because people often attempted self-treatment. "Usually, these teenagers will finally seek help from medical doctors if they can no longer control the illness."

She said it was clear teenagers were experimenting sexually. "That's why it is no longer time for both the teachers or parents to cover up information on sexual matters. Instead, they should educate them with the right information." (ind)