Sex education is a board term used to describe education about human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception, and other aspects of human sexual behavior. Outdated is defined as no longer in use or out of date while elementary is defined as constituting the basic or fundamental part
Singapore recognizes the need to provide proper and sufficient sex education to Singaporeans as pre-marital sex is already seen as an inevitable fact. Hence, the Singapore’s ministry of education, MOE’s sexuality education programme is premised on the importance of the family and respect for the values and beliefs of the different ethnic and religious communities on sexuality issues. The aim is to help students make responsible values-based choices on matters involving sexuality. But the issue today is, is it too outdated and elementary?
In reference to what students today are receiving from MOE’s sex education curriculum, we do not agree to the previous statement. Sex education in Singapore is not outdated and elementary.
Firstly, what is included in the MOE’s sex education curriculum?
Sexuality Education in schools is covered both in the formal curriculum and co-curricular programmes. The formal curriculum subjects in which topics on sexuality are incorporated include Science, Health Education and Civics and Moral Education.
MOE’s Growing Years (GY) is the main co-curricular package. It is developmental in nature, spanning the upper primary to post-secondary (JC/CI) levels. It addresses the subject of human sexuality from a holistic perspective, involving the intellectual, emotional, social, physical and ethical aspects of sexuality. It is covered under four main themes: Human Development, Interpersonal Relationships, Sexual Health and Behaviour, and Society and Culture.
*This is what we got from the MOE website.
But...