万花筒 2008-10-30&11-01 性教育从小学抓起（在线收听）

"We are going to think more closely about the differences between females and males, ok?"

An Introduction to Sex and Relationships, Age 7.

"Women have er ..boobs and boys don't." "Right"

Reproduction, puberty and intercourse will be discussed by the time these pupils leave the school." Children are going through puberty really early on, and if you are not aware, if you haven’t been taught at home, or at school, and things start happening, then where’d you go?"

Their parents are kept informed but some still question when the teaching should start? "I think it's too young for them to know because she was asking me a lot of questions and, reproductive, such as what is this and that. It was too much for me to answer."

Age clearly is an issue according to a UK-wide poll for the BBC, which found that the vast majority of people believed sex and relationship lessons should be compulsory in school, but of those almost two thirds thought the earliest they should start is age 11.

Most people have learnt about the basics of sex from the science curriculum, but when it comes to more controversial aspects like same-sex relationships, contraception, abortion, it has been much more of a gray area. Up until now, schools have been encouraged to tackle these issues but not compelled to.

"Yeah, it's hand, listen up, thank you. Look in this way."

At this secondary school, pupils say such lessons are vital.

"If we didn't have these lessons we wouldn’t know anything about abortions, or STIs or any of these, 'cause my parents don't know anything about that."

"When you talk with your parents, it just feels as, like uncomfortable, you should, 'cause that’s why people do it in my lesson, cause’ you’re with your friends."

In England, government minister see the sex and relationship lessons as a way to cut the UK's high teen-pregnancy rate and spread of sexually-transmitted infections. But there are fears parents may be left without a say, over how schools deal with highly sensitive issues.

"You are removing this pressure from schools, you’re undermining parents, and effectively what you are doing is taking parents out of the driving seat, and putting the state in their place."

The government has said parents' values and the ethos of the school will be taken into account when deciding exactly how the facts of life will be taught.

Sarah Campbell, BBC News.

Note:

STI: Sexually Transmitted Infection