EDUN N25-02-004

03802

22 Aug 2002

RELEASE OF THE GROWING YEARS SERIES FOR
UPPER SECONDARY:SENSE AND SEXUALITY

1. The Ministry of Education released The Growing Years Series for Upper Secondary pupils, entitled Sense and Sexuality, to secondary schools on Saturday, 24 August 02. The resource package, comprising a VCD and Teachers Resource File, aims to enhance the teaching of sexuality education for middle adolescents at the Upper Secondary level. Sense and Sexuality is the third of the four-part Growing Years series on sexuality education developed for schools under the Ministry's Framework for Sexuality Education (see information sheet at Annex). The Lower Secondary and Upper Primary series were released on 16 Oct 2000 and 6 Nov 2001respectively. The last series for Post-Secondary students will be released in 2003.

2. Similar to the two other series, the Upper Secondary Series promotes sexual abstinence as the best decision young adolescents can make for themselves. It focuses on the importance of and strategies for building healthy relationships with the opposite sex without engaging in pre-marital sexual activity. It directs adolescents' attention to the need for making responsible choices and practising responsible behaviour. The VCD presents a short drama centred on key issues and concerns our adolescents would have regarding sexuality. The Teachers Resource File provides lessons and other useful materials teachers can refer to when planning their sexuality education programme.

3. As the nature of sexuality education is values-based, the programme offers an opt-out scheme. Government-aided schools that have similar alternative programmes in place may choose whether or not to use the package. For children whose schools have chosen to use the package, their parents have the choice to opt them out of the programme. This was the approach adopted for the Lower Secondary and Upper Primary series as well. Training will be provided to specially selected teachers, key personnel and parent volunteers identified by the school to conduct the programme. A team of psychologists, legal and medical professionals, and guidance specialists from MOE will provide the training.

4. The Ministry recognises that effective sexuality education requires effective collaboration between schools, parents and the community. Parents and guardians can become strong allies and supporters of this programme. To facilitate their discussion with their children, the Ministry will make the VCD available for sale to parents and the public early next year.

5. In the development of the series, MOE has taken into account feedback and views from principals, teachers, parents, pupils, medical professionals and psychologists through focus group discussions and feedback sessions.

Annex

INFORMATION SHEET ON THE MINISTRY OF EDUCATION'S
FRAMEWORK FOR SEXUALITY EDUCATION

1. Sexuality is an issue on which different families and communities hold different views. However, there are key areas and core values that we want to hold as a society, like the concept that family is the basic unit of society. These are set out in the Framework for Sexuality Education, launched in Oct 2000. The Framework also emphasises the importance of delivering sexuality education in an age-appropriate manner based on four broad themes, namely Human Development, Interpersonal Relationships, Sexual Health and Behaviour, and Society and Culture. The contents of the four themes are thus pitched at pupils' maturity level, and are revisited at different levels of education.

2. The Framework spells out the guiding principles for the design and delivery of sexuality education, as follows:

a) Parents must take responsibility for the sexuality education of their children. Students will be advised to refer to their parents on issues that impact on their individual religious and cultural beliefs;

b) Sexuality education will be premised on the importance of the family as the basic unit of society; and

c) The teaching of facts will be integrated with the teaching of values.

3. The Growing Years Series is an enhancement to what is already being done by schools in the area of sexuality education. Currently, related topics are taught in subjects such as Health Education, Civics and Moral Education and Science. Talks and seminars are also conducted for pupils by resource speakers from organisations such as the Ministry of Health and The Singapore Planned Parenthood Association. The Series enhances the above activities by aiming to:

a) Foster an understanding of human sexuality and healthy sexual relationships;

b) Inculcate appropriate moral values essential in preserving the dignity of sexual relationships; and

c) Inculcate appropriate social and health values.

4. A developmental approach is adopted in the production of The Growing Years Series, to target the unique concerns and needs of pupils at the four critical growth stages. They are the Upper Primary (11-12 years), Lower Secondary (13-14 years), Upper Secondary (15-16 years) and Post-Secondary (17-18 years) stages. The Post-Secondary series will be released in 2003.

5. In the production of the series, MOE has taken into consideration feedback and views from Principals, teachers, parents, medical professionals, psychologists, social workers and self-help groups through focus group discussions and feedback sessions.