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PM Amarasuriya says age-appropriate sex education in the offing
Colombo, Nov. 10 (Daily Mirror) - Prime Minister and Minister of Education Harini Amarasuriya says discussions are underway to introduce an age-appropriate sex education programme in schools with the aim of protecting children from sexual abuse.
Her remarks come in response to concerns raised by Archbishop of Colombo, Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, who described the proposed programme as an “inappropriate sexual education initiative” planned for inclusion in next year’s school curriculum.
Speaking at an event, Prime Minister Amarasuriya noted that there has been a rise in incidents of child sexual abuse in Sri Lanka, underscoring the need to equip children with proper knowledge and awareness to safeguard themselves.
“The Health Ministry, the Family Health Bureau, and the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) have all recommended that sex education be introduced in the school curriculum. We have already introduced a health module for Grade 6 students, which focuses on maintaining good health. Specialists from the Family Health Bureau have proposed including sex education within this module to teach children how to protect their bodies,” she said.
She added that the NCPA has also pointed out that child sexual abuse remains a serious concern in the country and that educating children about their physical safety is crucial.
Amarasuriya further stated that the Education Ministry is holding ongoing discussions with the Health Ministry and the NCPA, and that both institutions have submitted their recommendations on how the programme should be structured and implemented.
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