Importance of Sex Education for Teens

For healthy growth and development it is important that most of the information and curiosity on sex and it’s related topics is imparted by a parent or a peer. But this rarely happens especially in India. Most children in India get most of this information from books, magazines, pornographic websites and various other sources. This leads to misconcepts and does more harm than actually good.

Sex education teaches the following topics-

• Human anatomy (both of male and female)
• Human reproduction through sexual intercourse
• Pregnancy
• How to practice Safe sex
• Measures for Birth control
• Sexual orientation
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) such as gonorrhea, HIV/AIDS

Several countries in Asia like India have made an effort to incorporate sex education as part of the academic curriculum. This is done with the view that information through proper sources can guide our children better.

Why sex education?

With changing times it has become necessary that we impart sex education to our teenagers. In teenage the physical changes particularly so in the sex organs and hormonal changes taking place in the body makes them curious to explore these changes. Added to all this, the increased amount of exposure through television, books, internet makes them impulsive to try what is forbidden. The 'sexual arena' is a hot topic among the adolescence currently and the absence of proper supervision can result in more harm than good.

Sex education to the teens can help to

• Avoids or decreases the incidence of teenage pregnancies. It makes them aware of the repercussions of teenage pregnancy on their health, education, future, as well as that of the fetus.

• Stresses on self-restraint

• Even if they do indulge in sexual intercourse the awareness of contraceptive methods, including the use of condoms helps to decrease the incidence of sexually transmitted diseases and teenage pregnancies.

• Prevent or decrease the rate of sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, non-gonoccocal urethritis, pelvic inflammatory disease and syphilis

• Can help to prevent, control or decrease the HIV/AIDS

In the current scenario sex education to the teens should be considered as the responsibility of every parent and teacher. It is better for the children get the right information from parents, peers or teachers than from books, magazines, pornographic websites and various other sources. This leads to misconcepts and does more harm than actually good. Right information can enlighten a teenager regarding the hazards of sexual intercourse and related health problems.  You should make your child conscious of the fact that “it is better to be safe than sorry.”

Sex education in schools

Sex education to the teens is important and should be considered as the responsibility of every parent and teacher. Studies have shown that effective sex education to adolescence in school can increase the age at which they experiment with sex.

However in India sex education in school has not yet become an accepted part of the curriculum and comprehensive sex education in schools still remains a subject of intense debate.

Certain schools have introduced novel health and hygiene workshops that handle issues like health foods, usage of sanitary napkins, human anatomy and human reproduction. But the education system in India is still has disagreement about conducting workshops and programs within the school premises on sex education.

Sex education to the teens can help to

• Avoids or decreases the incidence of teenage pregnancies.
• Increase self-restraint
• Increase their awareness and usage of contraceptive methods, including the use of condoms
• Prevent or decrease the rate of sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, non-gonoccocal urethritis, pelvic inflammatory disease and syphilis
• Can help to prevent, control or decrease the HIV/AIDS

WHO considers that sex education should be given to all children who are 12 and above. The increasing incidence of teenage pregnancies and HIV in India makes it important that we give our children sex education so that they get the right information rather than misconcepts.

Parents and sex education

Parents and the conservative elements of the society consider that sex education to our children in the schools and from parents would make them more liberated and increase their indulgence in sexual intercourse. But the increasing rate of teenage pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases and HIV has made this an important issue to be considered.

In the current scenario sex education to the teens should be considered as the responsibility of every parent and teacher. It is better for the children get the right information from parents, peers or teachers than from books, magazines, pornographic websites and various other sources. This leads to misconcepts and does more harm than actually good. For healthy growth and development it is important that most of the information and curiosity on sex and it’s related topics is imparted by a parent or a peer.

Right information can enlighten a teenager regarding the hazards of sexual intercourse and related health problems.  You should make your child conscious of the fact that “it is better to be safe than sorry.” In a country like India where severe social stigma been attached to unwed teen pregnancies it is important that we have good sex education programs for our teenagers.

Is sex education effective?

Yes sex education effective to the teenagers is effective. Studies have shown that comprehensive sex education can benefit young adolescence considerably.

Sex education to the teens can help to

• Avoids or decreases the incidence of teenage pregnancies.
• Increase self-restraint on indulgence in sex
• Increase their awareness and usage of contraceptive methods, including the use of condoms
• Prevent or decrease the rate of sexually transmitted diseases such as gonorrhea, non-gonoccocal urethritis, pelvic inflammatory disease and syphilis
• Can help to prevent, control or decrease the HIV/AIDS

Educating the teenager about sex assist them to deal with peer pressure and teaches them the art of communication and negotiation. It makes them more confident and gives them assertive skills, crucial in their dealings with peers. Some people consider that sex-education and the information provided in it may liberate the adolescence and make to indulge in sexual intercourse more frequently. However several studies have shown that this is not true. Sex education does not make teenagers more promiscuous and it does not increase their indulgence in sexual intercourse. On the contrary, it delays the age at which adolescence may experiment with sex and increases the use of condoms.