By Sharanya Sekaram

Image Credit: Lanka News Web

In December 2019 – conservative opinion-makes were aflame over a book. Leading the charge were religious leaders, raising objections against a proposed extra-curricular addition to the school syllabus on sex education called “Hathe Ape Potha”. The controversy and indignation over time in this regard seems to centre on the introduction (or attempts at introduction) of what many people refer to as sex education.

What is Sex Education?

The terminology around this syllabus and teachings has also evolved – UNESCO refers to it as relationship education, in Sri Lanka it comes under the Health and Physical education moniker, and in many cases it is also referred to as comprehensive sexuality education. Broadly – all these different terms generally mean the teaching of information, skills and motivation to make healthy decisions about sex and sexuality.  It is about much more than the basic biology of the penis and the vagina, as Planned Parenthood describes, it involves “exploring values and beliefs about those topics and gaining the skills that are needed to navigate relationships and manage one’s own sexual health’.

Why the fight for it? Why is teaching this to children so vital? UNESCO in developing international technical guidelines for the teaching of comprehensive sexuality education explains it thus,

“Too many young people receive confusing and conflicting information about relationships and sex, as they make the transition from childhood to adulthood. This has led to an increasing demand from young people for reliable information, which prepares them for a safe, productive and fulfilling life. When delivered well, CSE responds to this demand, empowering young people to make informed decisions about relationships and sexuality and navigate a world where gender-based violence, gender inequality, early and unintended pregnancies, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) still pose serious risks to their health and well-being. Equally, a lack of high-quality, age- and developmentally-appropriate sexuality and relationship education may leave children and young people vulnerable to harmful sexual behaviours and sexual exploitation.

CSE plays a crucial role in addressing the health and well-being of children and young people. Applying a learner-cantered approach, CSE not only provides children and young people with age-appropriate and phased education on human rights, gender equality, relationships, reproduction, sexual behaviours risks and prevention of ill health, but also provides an opportunity to present sexuality with a positive approach, emphasizing values such as respect, inclusion, non-discrimination, equality, empathy, responsibility and reciprocity”.

As we wrote on Bakamoono last year, “In recent years, we have tried to disentangle relationship education from sex education in Sri Lanka. Our impetus: sex education in Sri Lanka is limited to education around sex and reproduction, i.e. vaginal – penal penetration that leads to pregnancy and childbirth. UNESCO prefers the term comprehensive sexuality education, and defines it as follows:

“Comprehensive sexuality education is a curriculum-based process of teaching and learning about the cognitive, emotional, physical and social aspects of sexuality. It aims to equip children and young people with knowledge, skills, attitudes and values that will empower them to: realize their health, well-being and dignity; develop respectful social and sexual relationships; consider how their choices affect their own well-being and that of others; and, understand and ensure the protection of their rights throughout their lives.”

What is Hathe Ape Potha?

The book in question interestingly came about following a presentation to Parliament by the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Women and Gender. The report which can be viewed here talks about the process and reasons behind introducing the handbook.

The book, a supplementary reader for students of Grade Seven is meant to explain sexual and reproductive health in an age-appropriate and simple manner.  It is the outcome of nearly 4 years of discussions initiated by the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Women and Gender on the subject “Teaching Reproductive Health to School Children.”

While this is a positive step forward, it is also disheartening to see the wheel being continually reinvented.  The handbook does not provide any fresh information that is not already in the existing Health and Physical education syllabus which is mainstreamed across all schools following the national curriculum. In fact Chief Sanghanayake of the Western Province, Ruhuna University Chancellor, Ven. Dr. Akuretiye Nanda Thero who has, endorsed the book has also pointed out this fact. It is still fairly unclear as to what the uniqueness of Hathe Ape Pothe is, and what it offers beyond the existing syllabus.

The Controversy

In December the first public objections to the book was made by several religious leaders. Venerable Medagoda Abhayatissa Thera calling in a press conference said that the book introduced collaboratively by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education of the previous government to attach education on sexual and reproductive health into the school curriculum promotes inappropriate and obscene content sexually exploiting young children, and demanded prohibition. This followed a media frenzy of reporting suggesting that our young children were to be subject to something unnatural and criminal.

Ranawana in a piece for Counter Point reports that his was followed by a meeting held January 9^th this year where the Committee invited the same stakeholders for a discussion on the book. At the meeting “Ven. Dr. Akuretiye Nanda Thero who was at the meeting, endorsed the book.  Owing to questions raised whether the book had been reviewed by child psychiatrists, it was decided to call a second meeting on the 21^st, to which Prof. Abhayatissa Thero and other interested parties were also invited’

The meeting reached no consensus. Ranawana writes, ““Reckless,’ argued Dr. Wasantha Bandara, who was one of those who joined the meeting with Dr. Medagoda Abaytissa Thero.  He charged that the book had been prepared without adhering to any standards, and questioned whether there were such standards, like in foreign countries, that Sri Lanka adhered to.  He asked if there had been any discussions with parents or teachers on this matter. He took issue over cautioning children against friends and family who could violate their bodies, stating that it places all male relations as sexual predators. While many of such comments drew protests from others present, it was UNP MP, Rohini Kumari Wijeratne, a member of both sectoral committees, who stood her ground, responding even with teachings from the Buddha.  She added that guidelines of the education ministry were followed when preparing the book”

As it stands, Prof. Ashu Marasinghe, who chaired the meeting has requested the Education Ministry to review the book and submit their comments to the committee in a month.  He also accepted documents submitted by Dr. Bandara, to determine a framework of standards when preparing books.

Let’s (Not) Talk About Sex Baby

Is there evidence that a sustained, holistic, fact based and non-judgmental approach to comprehensive sexuality education works when mainstreamed in classrooms? UNESCO states the following:

“There is significant evidence on the impact of sexuality education.  It emphasizes that:

• Sexuality education has positive effects, including increasing young people’s knowledge and improving their attitudes related to sexual and reproductive health and behaviours.
• Sexuality education – in or out of schools – does not increase sexual activity, sexual risk-taking behaviour or STI/HIV infection rates.
• Programmes that promote abstinence as the only option have been found to be ineffective in delaying sexual initiation, reducing the frequency of sex or reducing the number of sexual partners. Programmes that combine a focus on delaying sexual activity with other content are effective.
• ‘Gender-focused’ programmes are substantially more effective than ‘gender-blind’ programmes at achieving health outcomes such as reducing rates of unintended pregnancy or STIs.
• Sexuality education has the most impact when school-based programmes are complemented with the involvement of parents and teachers, training institutes and youth-friendly services”

It is almost wearing that in 2020 we are still clutching on to a “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy with a heavy helping of colonial Victorian values when it comes to sex and sexuality in Sri Lanka. The popular argument as The Thero is of the opinion is that teaching children sex education “would push children towards sexual activity.  What needed to be taught was prevention, he argued, not acting on ones feelings”. This outdated view must be challenged in the reality of the modern era.

Firstly – with open and easy access to the internet, the time when our children needed us to teach them about sex is long part. There is a reason Sri Lanka has been among the top countries Googling “sex” and this is the reality. Children access porn as early as 10 and what they get is unfiltered information that we do nothing to counter in the classroom. It is no longer about IF they are getting the information but HOW. Are we as adults open to the reality and willing to offer them fact-based, information that isn’t going to further damage their ideas about relationships and sex?

We argue that Grade 7 is not early enough – we need to begin when the child is at their most important stage of development i.e. before they turn 7. It is generally accepted that early gender socialization is one of the most pertinent issues in early childhood, affecting both male and female children.  The foundations for stereotypes in gender roles are laid through early gender socialization and is a process of learning cultural roles according to one’s sex. This is influenced in a variety of ways including by parental and societal expectations from children, their selection of gender-specific toys, and/or giving gender-based assignments. All these actions seem to define a differentiating socialization process that has been termed as “gender socialization” (UNICEF, 2007). There is evidence to show that the gender roles that have been encountered in childhood have a significant role to play in in shaping an individual’s self-concept and influence the way he or she forms relationships later on in life and thus has a significant long term impact (Beal, 1994).

When we look at interventions that aim to improve gender parity and equality it becomes abundantly clear that an understanding of what influences children’s understanding of gender and gender roles at the Early Childhood Education phase is essential to make effective interventions through education reforms. Without these, interventions will continue to be stop-gap and based on assumptions of what needs to be challenged rather than reality.

It seems that the “R” for Rights in Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights remains elusive in our approaches. Rooted in a public health angle that remains trapped within gender binaries and norms, we often see approaches being framed within the patriarchal heteronormative idea of what a family is and looks like. A rights-based approach centres the human rights and dignity of people accessing services regardless of the perceived morality of their circumstances and choices evades us constantly. This results in those who are the most marginalized and need these services the most falling by the wayside – including people who identify as queer, persons with disabilities, people who identify as transgender and sex workers.

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

This is not about penises and vaginas, it’s about teaching young people about values. As we struggle with high rates of abortion, sexual and gender based violence such as harassment on public transport, and more – it is more needed than ever. Understanding respect, consent, trust, empathy and building self-esteem should arguably be central to our response against hate and violence which has percolated into every sphere of our existence.

The fight is far from over, it has barely begun. We need desperately to now move beyond the gender binary, beyond the confines of a public health approach and mainstream and uphold the humanity, dignity and rights of all people going forward. We need to start with education rooted in the fundamental human values of consent, respect, empathy, self-esteem, trust and being sensible. We need to start from the very beginning or once again at the end of the decade we will be reflecting from the very same place we are doing so now.

Our vision for 2020 and the decade is ensuring every child gets comprehensive relationship education from birth, which requires multi ministerial partnership and citizen partnership.

As was once said, we have a dream. We dream that in this decade we see a dedicated approach to education reform that mainstreams core values and teaches every child to value human dignity and respect for self, difference and other above all else.