Sex education 'throughout school life'
Updated on 04 December 2007
Pupils should learn about sex and relationships throughout their time in education, leaders of charities and a teaching union have said.
It follows a survey by the UK Youth Parliament which found that almost half of UK youngsters ad not been taught about teenage pregnancy and would not know where to find their local sexual health clinic.
A letter was sent to the Times newspaper written by a number of experts including Nick Partridge, chief executive of the Terrence Higgins Trust, the National Union of Teacher's general secretary, Steve Sinnott and Dame Mary Marsh, chief executive of the NSPCC.
They said: "These figures...may go some way to explaining disproportionately high rates of teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections in this country.
"We believe that all children and young people are entitled to receive Sex and Relationships Education (SRE) as part of the statutory provision of Personal, Social, Health and Economic Education (PSHE Education) in schools.
"No school should be able to opt out of delivering good Sex and Relationships Education to their pupils (including primary schools, faith schools and academies), which should be taught throughout a pupil's time in education."
They said that young people were bringing their findings and proposals on sex and relationships education to Schools Minister Jim Knight this week.
"We urge the Government to listen to what they have to say," they added.
The letter was signed by Kevin Barron, chairman of the House of Commons health committee, presenter Davina McCall and many others.
Mr Knight said in a statement on Monday night: "We are clear that parents do not have the right to withdraw their children from the statutory sex and education part of the curriculum, only the optional PHSE element.
"Our guidance is also clear that schools should teach about the risks of unprotected sex and direct young people to local services where they can access contraceptive and sexual health advice. In that respect, the UK Youth Parliament's findings are disappointing.
"Nevertheless, our Teenage Pregnancy Strategy is working - teenage pregnancy rates are at their lowest for 20 years.
"We made a commitment to reduce the teenage conception rates and to improve the quality of life for all young people, we are delivering on that."
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