A New Path to Sex Education: See The Efforts Here- Hon. Helen Bob

Joseph Edirou Reports

Hon. Helen Inafa Bob Chief executive officer of Successful Motherhood Initiative (SUMOIN and former Special Adviser on Talent Development and Gender Promotion to former Governor of Bayelsa State, a passionate advocate for the inclusion of sex education in school’s curriculum have joined voice to that of
Her Excellency, Erelu Bisi Adeleye – Fayemi, Gender and Development Specialist, former First Lady, Ekiti State, calling on the Minister of Education to kindly summon the NERDC Executive Secretary for an urgent briefing on the need for the inclusion of comprehensive sex education in our School’s curriculum.

TrackNews Nigeria learnt that the Hon. Minister of Education, on Thursday November 2nd 2022, gave a directive to the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) to remove Sex Education from the Basic Education Curriculum.

This statement was made when he declared open the 66th National Council on Education in Abuja which had the theme, “Strengthening of Security and Safety in Nigerian Schools for the Achievement of Education 2030 Agenda”.

The Minister of Education, seeing Sex Education in the curriculum, called the NERDC Executive Secretary directing him to expunge it, arguing that sex education should be left in the hands of parents and religious institutions and not be taught in schools in a manner that would further corrupt little children’. The NERDC Executive Secretary then promised to ‘act on it’.

Hon Minister sir, I am joining voice with Her Excellency Erelu Bisi Fayemi to state that, Information is power and that is the essence of Education. We can no longer be blind to the negative impact parenting avoidance of sex education in homes or the skewed sex education to youths in our worship centres/ religious institutions which haven’t been able to modify the emotions and behaviours of the children as expected.

Therefore, as a result of the ignorance and misinformation, millions of teenage girls have fallen victims of peer influence on drugs and substance abuse, early sex life, night clubbing, teenage unplanned pregnancy, child- Motherhood, abortion, family rejection, Sexual Transmitted Diseases stigmatisation, lack of interest in education, etc. These activities of teenagers affects their well being and the society at large.

According to the latest figures from UNESCO and UNICEF, there are at least 30million children out of school, with 60% of this figure girls which coincidentally is in line with the theme of the conference the Minister of education decleared open. “Strengthening of Security and Safety in Nigerian Schools for the Achievement of Education 2030 Agenda”.

Like Her Excellency, Erelu Bisi mentioned, we cannot talk about safety in schools if we are not prepared to talk about the rights of the girls and boys to bodilyintegrity, freedom from exploitation and the right to learn in a conducive environment. The need to talk about sex among students is very very necessary.

The lives and future of our children is at stake considering the negative impact of the easy access of incomplete sex education from Internet phonograph and other strong negative influencers.

Please Hon. Minister of Education, we are begging you in the name of all that is good, please rethink your position and include the teaching of Sex education in our basic schools.