Yenagoa—Former Special Adviser on Talent Development and Gender Promotion to a former Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Helen Inafa Bob has called for the re-inclusion of sex education in school curriculum across the country.
Inafa-Bob who is the CEO of the Successful Motherhood Initiative (SUMOIN) joined the former First Lady of Ekiti state, Erelu Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi in calling on the Minister of Education to redirect the Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC)to include comprehensive sex education in School’s curriculum.
This was after the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu on Thursday, November 2nd gave a directive to NERDC to remove sex education from the Basic Education Curriculum when declaring open the 66th National Council on Education in Abuja themed, “Strengthening of Security and Safety in Nigerian Schools for the Achievement of Education 2030 Agenda.”
The minister argued that sex education should be left in the hands of parents and religious institutions and not be taught in schools “in a manner that would further corrupt little children.”
But Inafa-Bob reacting to the Education Minister’s directives to NERDC in a statement on Tuesday, alluded that parents have been avoiding sex education at home and this has had a negative impact on children.
She added that as a result of the lack of proper sex education for the children both at home and the religious institutions, they unavoidably fall victim to early sex life, night clubbing, teenage unplanned pregnancy, child-Motherhood, and abortion, among others because of ignorance and misinformation.
According to her, “Hon Minister sir, I am joining my voice with Her Excellency Erelu Bisi Fayemi to state that, Information is power and that is the essence of Education.
“We can no longer be blind to the negative impact of parents’ avoidance of sex education in homes and the skewed sex education to youths in our worship centres/ religious institutions which haven’t been able to modify the emotions and behaviours of the children as expected.
“Therefore, as a result of the ignorance and misinformation, millions of teenage girls have fallen victim to peer influence on drugs and substance abuse, early sex life, night clubbing, teenage unplanned pregnancy, child- Motherhood, abortion, family rejection, Sexual Transmitted Diseases stigmatization, lack of interest in education, etc.
“These activities of teenagers affect their well-being and the society at large.”
Stating that sex education is necessary among students, Inafa-Bob said school children’s future is at stake with access to internet pornography among other negative influences.
She, therefore, pleaded with the minister of education to reconsider his stance and redirect the inclusion of sex education back in Basic schools curriculum.
She said, “Like Her Excellency, Erelu Bisi mentioned, we cannot talk about safety in schools if we are not prepared to talk about the rights of the girls and boys to bodily integrity, freedom from exploitation, and the right to learn in a conducive environment.
“The need to talk about sex among students is very very necessary.
“The lives and future of our children are at stake considering the negative impact of the easy access of incomplete sex education from Internet phonograph and other strong negative influencers.
“Please, Hon. Minister of Education, we are begging you in the name of all that is good, please rethink your position and include the teaching of Sex education in our Basic schools.”