Photo: Unsplash
Photo: Unsplash
After a boom in teenage pregnancies was recorded in South Africa during the pandemic, the Department of Basic has Education vowed to ‘intensify sex education lessons in our schools – in order to hammer home safe practices and better decision-making skills. However, the new curriculum has already caused a stir.
The Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) portfolio tackles a range of taboo subjects – starting from Grade 4. Religious groups and concerned parents believe that their kids will be learning ‘too much, too soon’ when it is fully implemented – and a petition to abandon the curriculum has been doing the rounds.
Minister Angie Motshekga, however, is set to step-up the rollout:
“The department and its stakeholders will intensify the implementation of Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) in schools, which aims to empower young people with age-appropriate information.
“Early and unwanted pregnancy perpetuates poverty and disrupts the growth and development of our young people. The time has come to bury our differences with the religious sector, the traditional leadership, parents, guardians and all others who opposed the implementation of CSE.”
The curriculum itself seems quite innocuous. Fears about ‘age-inappropriate content’ don’t really materialise here. There’s a lot of learning on ‘good and bad touch’, while the values of consent are also hammered home.
The sex education curriculum for Grade 4 includes the following topics:
Perhaps the biggest bone of contention is two very basic drawings, which illustrate the genitals of young girls and boys. It’s far from graphic, and the DBE believes it is the correct way to educate Grade 4 children about their bodies.
The focus shifts towards more personal choices, and empowering children to say ‘no’ in difficult situations. Mainly orientated around sexual and abusive scenarios, Grade 5s are also exposed to the explicit offering of drugs.
Again, there are more in-depth lessons on HIV and AIDS, and a rap about ‘no-go zones on the body also features.
The sex education curriculum for Grade 5 includes the following topics:
At this point, the CSE curriculum does move towards more ‘adult’ issues. LQBTQIA+ awareness takes a prominent role, and even the topic of masturbation is mentioned in one lesson. Body image and bullying are also up for discussion.
The sex education curriculum for Grade 6 includes the following topics: