The Electric New Paper : Tussle For Aware
26 April 2009
By Liew Hanqing
'Girls told how to say no to sex'
Aware's school sexuality programme told children it's okay to be gay, say its new leaders. But what was really being taught in schools? Teachers and parents also give their views
ONE of his students was taunted, bullied and called a 'bapok' (effeminate) by his schoolmates.
This incident prompted Alex, a secondary school teacher, to seek help in educating students on the social aspects of sex and sexuality.
So he called Aware.
Alex declined to be named because teachers are not allowed to speak to the press without permission.
The secondary school in the East where Alex teaches is among the 12 schools here which run Aware's Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) programme.
The programme has been questioned by Aware's new leadership. Members are unhappy that it seems to promote in schools the message that homosexuality is acceptable.
In an ice-breaker activity used in the programme, students are advised that words such as 'homosexual', 'pre-marital' and 'anal sex' are considered neutral - neither positive nor negative.
Said Alex: 'The issue is not how these words are being classified. The important thing is educating students that homosexuality is something real and that they should not look down on somebody just because he or she is homosexual.'
He added that it was important that sexuality education programmes should discourage indiscriminate sexual experimentation among students.
Alex said the programme is pitched at Secondary 2 students at his school, many of whom are from the Normal (Technical) stream.
He said such programmes are necessary because students are beginning to experiment with sex at a much younger age than before.
He said: 'In the past, smoking was what kids used to experiment with at Sec2. Now, it's sex.'
Alex said female students who had attended the CSE programme had told him they were told how to say 'no' to sex. They also went through hands-on activities like learning to use a condom.
He added that the speakers did not delve much into the issue of homosexuality. Male students and teachers were also not allowed to attend the talk for girls.
Alex said he felt sexuality education programmes - regardless of who runs them - are important for students at a young age.
In the past five years alone, more than 20 of his students have had abortions, he said.
He said: 'Students need to be educated on the consequences of their actions and to know that even if they do get into a bad situation, there is a way out.'
But Mr Koh Yong Chiah, principal of Jurong Junior College, feels differently.
Eastern values
He told The New Paper: 'Ultimately, Singapore is still a society that follows Eastern moral values.
'From a human rights perspective, I am not against it (homosexuality), but I feel it is not right to tell students in school that homosexuality is okay.'
He added, however, that it is acceptable to educate students against stopping people from being in homosexual relationships.
Another secondary school teacher took a more moderate stand, suggesting that the programme be targeted at older students, who are 'more ready to discuss and learn about sexuality issues'.
She said that many schools - including her own - now run sexuality workshops for Sec2 students, in tandem with their sex education curriculum.
She said: 'But learning about the biological aspect of sex is different from learning about sexuality and its social implications.
'I would be apprehensive about telling teenagers to take a stand about homosexuality at such a young age.'
She added that it would, however, be a good move to equip teachers with the necessary counselling skills should students approach them to talk about issues related to sex and homosexuality.
Parents The New Paper spoke to had mixed responses to the CSE programme.
Ms Doreen Pang, 44, who has a 17-year-old son, said she 'would not accept' school sexuality programmes which consider homosexuality acceptable.
She said in Mandarin: 'I believe the schools should still educate students on traditional family values.
'Homosexuality is something that cannot be changed, but schools should not be telling children that it is okay.'
Another parent, Mr Leonard Wee, 45, who has a daughter in Sec3, said he had nothing against students being educated on homosexuality.
He said: 'It's very real, and we can't just pretend it doesn't exist. Classifying certain buzz words as 'neutral' isn't going to tip straight students over the edge and turn them gay.
'The most important thing is that students are taught how to behave responsibly when it comes to sex and that they know what they are getting themselves into.'
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