Mary Hanafin (Dún Laoghaire, Fianna Fail)

Relationships and sexuality education, RSE, is embedded in the social, personal and health education curriculum in primary schools and in the junior cycle. In the senior cycle, schools are also required to deliver an RSE programme. Sexual orientation and safe sex are not featured as part of the curriculum in primary schools, but the generic skills and values for respecting difference and relating to others are fostered. The SPHE programme is designed to promote the personal development, health and well-being of the individual child, to help the child to create and maintain supportive relationships and to become an active responsible citizen in society. The curriculum is built around three strands — Myself, Myself and Others and Myself and the Wider World, and it deals with issues such as making decisions, developing self-confidence, growing and changing, personal safety, relating to friends, family and others, handling conflict, respecting difference and developing awareness of bullying.

At junior cycle, these themes are continued. The relationships and sexuality education component of the programme focuses on issues such as hygiene, puberty, reproduction, pregnancy, resisting peer pressure, relationships, and accepting difference. The programme is supported by a comprehensive resource pack which includes lesson plans, case studies and activities. The topics include areas such as teenage pregnancy, understanding how certain behaviour can put students at risk, discussion on the implications of sexual activity, gender stereotyping, misconceptions about homosexuals and the importance of respect and tolerance when relating to others.

At senior cycle, the RSE programme includes in-depth coverage relating to reproduction, puberty, sexuality, family planning, contraception, responsible parenthood, implications of sexual activity, sexually transmitted infections, accepting sexual orientation, as well as relationships issues. Sexual harassment, sexual assault and sexual abuse are also covered, with where to seek help. The materials include case studies and quizzes designed to promote discussion and to dispel common myths about sex, pregnancy and so on.

Regarding sexual orientation, the emphasis is on recognising the ways different sexual orientations can be discriminated against, discussion of attitudes to sexual orientation, and understanding the need to value and respect difference. A recent evaluation of the implementation of RSE in second level schools, while highlighting many positive developments, has indicated that the content of the programme is being implemented selectively. Students reported that they consider that the topics of contraception, safe sex, condom use and sexual orientation are not adequately dealt with. In response, work is under way on the development of lesson plans linked to a DVD resource for teachers on contraception, sexually transmitted infections and sexual orientation, in collaboration with the Health Services Executive and the Crisis Pregnancy Agency. The contract for this work has been awarded by the Crisis Pregnancy Agency and work is well under way. This will be important in ensuring consistency of treatment of these issues in the curriculum, and in helping to ensure that teachers feel better equipped and more confident to deliver this aspect of the programme.

Development by the NCCA of a social personal and health education programme at senior cycle is also at an advanced stage and I look forward to receiving its recommendations at an early date.

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