Minister of State for School Education Hassan Mushrif announced on Friday that the government has no plan to introduce sex education.
MUMBAI: Maharashtra has rejected the Union HRD ministry’s proposal to introduce sex education in the school curriculum, a decision that has been criticised by educationists across the state. They said the government’s move could force children to seek information on the subject from other sources.
Heeding demands made by all parties, Minister of State for School Education Hassan Mushrif announced on Friday that the government has no plan to introduce sex education.
He also said the state will ban the books published on the subject for standards VI and IX by the Central Board of Secondary Education. The ban will be enforced under the provisions that were invoked to block the sale of a book on Shivaji by American author James Laine.
Replying to supplementary questions raised on a calling-attention notice moved, among others, by Rajendra Patni of Shiv Sena, Mushrif said the Centre would be apprised of the decision.
The issue raised an acrimonious debate in the assembly with members of most parties virtually corralling the minister.
Referring to the ministry’s written reply to his notice, Patni asked if it is true that the government has no plan to introduce sex education. When the minister replied in the affirmative, Patni said teachers at district and village schools were already undergoing training in the subject.
The statement caused a furore and Deputy Speaker Pramod Shende adjourned proceedings for 30 minutes. When the house reassembled, Mushrif announced that the proposed introduction of ‘adolescence life skills’ programme, planned from next academic year, had been cancelled.
Speaking later to DNA, Shobha Fadnavis (BJP) said the government had begun training about 400 teachers after it had introduced a resolution in February 2006. She said some of the contents and illustrations of the syllabus, derived from the CBSE curriculum, hurt religious sentiments of all communities. She said the controversial content was being passed off as an exercise to sensitise students about the dangers of HIV/AIDS.
But educationists do not share that view. Raj Aloni, headmistress of JJ Fort Boys High School, said: “The state government shouldn’t have completely banned the HRD ministry’s proposal. It’s essential that the students gain knowledge on their sexual changes at an appropriate age.”
She said higher classes have been learning about HIV/AIDS, a programme that was supported by parents. “They have requested schools to continue with the programme,” she said. “It is taught in most schools as a part of the life-skills programme.”
PM Raut, managing trustee of the Vidya Vikas Education Society, said he wholly opposed the state government’s move. “It’s an important subject and should be made a part of education on values,” he said. “If they are not taught in schools, students will try to gain knowledge on the subject through other means, which could be hazardous for their future development.”
Raut said if the government was dissatisfied with the CBSE curriculum, it could have devised its own courseware.
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