Sex Education and Family Planning in the Philippine Fourth Year High School
Thesis Statement
Integration Sex Education and Family Planning in the Philippine Fourth Year High School could help to reduce the cases of teenage pregnancies, cases of population growth rate, and cases of sexually transmitted diseases
Introduction
Sex Education program has not been fully integrated to Philippine Education System especially in the Fourth Year High School level. This paper intends to discuss the importance of integrating sex education program to address the problems of unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and etc.
I. Overview
a. Sex Education and Family planning
b. The Role of School in Educating students about sex and Responsible Parenthood
c. Sex and Sexuality
1. Relationship of knowledge about Sex and sexuality to sex Behavior
II. Integration of Sex Education in the Philippine Fourth Year High School program
1. Reasons for integration
2. Objectives
3. Curriculum and Modules
III. Advantages of Sex Education and Family Planning Programs
a. Knowledge about Sex and Sexuality
b. Reduction of Population growth rate and teenage pregnancies
c. Reduction of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) cases
Conclusion:
Through integration of sex education and family planning programs to Philippine fourth year high school could help to give knowledge to the youth about the sex and sexuality for the proper development of their attitudes and behavior in relation to sex.
Introduction
Sex Education and family planning programs have not yet fully integrated to the Philippine Education system especially in fourth year high school level. But, problems such as teenage pregnancies, population growth rate, cases of sexually transmitted diseases are increasing nowadays. This may be due to lack of awareness of the youngsters about the horror of these problems. Since, many young people are being affected of those various problems, the school must set a goal to educate these young people for proper response to their sexuality and sexual desires and negative effects of improper conduct regarding with these issues.
This paper intends to discuss what is sex education and family planning, the role of school in educating the youth about sex, sexuality and responsible parenthood. It also discusses the effects of sexuality to sex behavior of a person and how knowledge could change this behavior into a wholesome one. Aside from that, the integration of sex education programs to fourth year high school is also discussed here. It also explains the reasons why sex education needs to integrate in fourth year high school programs, its objectives and its curriculum planning.
This paper also discusses the advantages of sex education programs in school based on the survey conducted by researchers specifically in the United States where sex education was already a part of their education system program.
Overview
Sex Education and Family Planning
Sex Education includes “all educational measures that may help young people prepare to meet problems in life in relation to sex health and some other problems such as physical, social, psychical, and moral problems that concerns successful marriage and family relationships”(Kilander 1).
In physical aspect, sex education may help young people to be aware of health issues regarding sex and sexuality. It will educate the youth about the physical changes they’ve experience at the age of puberty. And, it will let them aware about the causes and effects of venereal diseases.
Sex education also is a socializing process. It has a scope of providing the youngsters with the basic understanding the every aspect of sex by the time they reaches maturity and help them to recognized differential sex patterns for them to interact harmoniously with those whose sex norms differ from his/her own.
Sex education must also include instructions that may help for the psychological development of the youth. It may develop the “normal and wholesome attitudes and ideals towards sex”(Kilander 1) in which their conducts will be shaped in accordance with those attitudes and ideals. If a youngster have not been taught about the values, attitudes, and ideals in relation to sex on how to act and respond to it a wholesome way and have not been taught how to respect each other’s sexuality in some cases consequences like rape, prostitution, venereal diseases and unhappy marriages could occur. And these consequences cause by lack of knowledge and information among the youth about the subject.
Family planning is an instruction specifically for couples about building a family with a proper plan. Specifically in deciding a number of children to have, which considers financial capability of the parents. It is very important to include financial aspect because the future of the child is important, because its goal is not creating more children if we know as parents that we cannot give the needs of our children. In the Philippines we can observe that more families have many family members even though they don’t have permanent job and have low income they still produce more babies in which the children were being affected and their future were ruin at an earlier stage. And, this is due to lack of knowledge and education for the Filipinos about responsible parenthood.
The Role of School in educating the youth about Sex and Responsible Parenthood
School plays a very important role in educating youth not only in academics but also in the aspect of life, an aspect that is already a part of humanity since then. The school is where the students go to learn something for them to prepare for their future and their role in the society. But, sex education must be a part of the curriculum that school must teach for the youth to be aware.
The school must be a training ground for every citizen of the country. In the subject of sex education, the school must take responsibility on educating the youth about the proper conduct, attitude, and ideals in relation to sex for them to be a responsible member of the family, of the society and of the country. At school, information can be given objectively without emotional block and majority of the youth go to school regularly. So, the school must meet the needs of the young people for their total development in social, physical, emotional and mental and etc. Students also must learn earlier about family planning for them to be responsible parent someday for the betterment of the country.
Knowledge is very important in shaping the mindset and future of an individual. For the Philippine school, they must take responsibilities because majority of the Filipino are still ignorant about this subject. And still many Filipinos are lack of information. But we got to focus on sex education here. Filipino citizen needs knowledge which school must provide for them to be responsible in every aspect of life. It is important also that these changes must start in school.
Sex and Sexuality
Sex and sexuality are basic to animals and humans alike.” It may kindled emotions, modified personal development, molded thoughts and imagination, influence relations, organized society and colored all the philosophies and moralities which influence human behavior, personality and character”(Kilander 5). Sex and sexuality are differences and attraction of opposite sex originates. According to my sociology teacher at the University of Southeastern Philippines, sex is the major reason which drew men and women together.
Relationship of Knowledge about Sex and Sexuality to Sex Behavior
According to Kilander, knowledge means those items of fact and procedure by which an individual learns what to do or not to do in a given situation (9). In this case, knowledge about sex and sexuality plays an important role for shaping the individuals sex behavior. It is essential for aiding the individual to make satisfactory response to every situation. This knowledge help individual to have understanding, awareness, perception, and judgment in response to what sexuality offers. It includes right conduct in relation to sex. Sex knowledge my change the behavior of an individual but these changes are positive because of wide range of concepts and principle that an individual knows. Through the information and understanding about the subject of sex and sexuality an individual can have the capability to apply proper response to various problems and issues which sex and sexuality is concern. On the other hand, this knowledge does not totally generate correct conduct, but if it is applied properly it may result to desired outcomes.
Integration of Sex Education in the Philippine Fourth Year High School
Reasons for integration
One of the reason why sex education is needed to be teach in Philippine fourth year high school is high rate of Philippine population growth rate .This is due to lack of sex education and family planning programs for Filipinos, specifically to the youth because they are the major receiver of such education. At their age, incidents like unwanted pregnancies occur and this may affect the life of the youth especially ladies. Aside from high population growth rate, another reason is the current increase of venereal diseases like HIV, and AIDS. Accordingly, infection of venereal diseases among 15 to 24 years old Filipinos from 41 in 2007 increase to 218 in 2009 and sex education can address these problems through giving information and knowledge about causes and effects of those diseases and how to avoid it. Aside from increasing infections, more young Filipinos today are engaging to premarital sex and this may cause unwanted pregnancies and infections. Accordingly, data from the National Statistics office Since this is unavoidable because of the society is getting liberated, education can do its part for putting all this ideals into proper way, through giving the youth information about the horror of unwanted pregnancies and venereal diseases, and also the use of contraception to prevent those mentioned problems. Sex education in the school is a practical approach to address the needs of the young Filipinos with regards to sex and sexuality. Family planning courses also may help the young understands the responsibilities of parenthood. Another reason why should there be sex education in the school is the personality troubles and misbehavior of the youth in relation to sex. Nowadays youth are liberated but they commit misbehavior in this subject, they misinterpret the word “sex” and commit undesirable behavior towards the opposite sex which is disrespectful to others whose sex norms is different from the other. This behavior also the root cause of the cases of rape in which they are going to satisfy their sexual needs with force without consulting the approval of the women which charge as a crime.
The very reason why sex education is needed to be teach in Philippine fourth year high school is that fourth year high school students are the age groups were their interests in sex is determined. Aside from sex interests, this age groups are where wrong attitude towards the opposite sex, vulgarity, obscenity, petting, promiscuity and smut probably happen. So, they need sex education to address their problems in relation to sex and help them to commit proper conduct towards opposite sex.
Objectives
Most probably students at this stage are more “concerned about the psychosocial development rather than their mechanics of body attraction”(Kilander 15). Fourth year students are more curious about sex and sexuality during this stage. Some may tend to experiment and want to experience sex and commit undesirable attitudes towards the opposite sex. The objective of sex education is to give knowledge to the youth about the subjects in relation to sex and give early warnings about the negative effects of unwanted pregnancies to their life and future. Aside from early warning here are the general objectives of sex education according to Kilander:
1. To develop normal and wholesome attitudes and ideals in relation to sex and the family.
2. To develop desirable habits, behavior patterns and the conduct in accordance with such attitude and ideals .
3. To acquire knowledge and understanding of matters related to the physiology of human reproduction and related aspects of family life.
4. To learn to use the proper terminology in reference to the body.
5. To understand some of the possible consequences and outcomes of various courses of conduct.
6. To correct and alleviate some of the common worries and misconceptions to the field of sex adjustments.
7. To contribute to the emotional and social growth of the individual so that he can function adequately as a member of a family and eventually as a parent.
Curriculum and Modules
Currently, sex education in Philippine public high school is the go this school year. Sex education will be integrated on the basic education curriculum. The subjects to be discussed are all about sexuality, hygiene, interpersonal relationships and gender issues and status. According to Jerry Esplanada from Manila Bulletin, the DepEd has revised modules on sex education and these are:
üPre-marital sex , commercial sex, abortion, and homosexuality.
ü Risky sex, class discussion on long term health and social consequences of sexual risk taking among adolescents.
ü Feelings of admiration for one person of the same or opposite sex. In small group discussion, students will be asked to discuss what they think about dating, boy-girl relationships, how to ask for a date and proper behavior while dating among others.
ü Filipino adolescents’ high awareness but poor knowledge of HIV/AIDS.
ü Adolescents’ sexual abstinence. Class discussions on the advantage of delaying sexual activities during adolescence.
Apart from these modules, curriculum and modules being used in the United States can be used by the Philippines for implementing sex education in fourth year high school. In the United States according to Kilander, their sex education programs been divided into different units. First is, the psychological development with a teachable material such as the developing personality, controlling emotions and getting along with others. Second is, the boy-girl relationships which include dating, pros and cons of going steady, courtship, engagement and marriage. In marriage it tackles about choosing a lifetime partner and responsibilities in marriage. Third is, family planning which includes factors to consider in planning a family like finances, educational goals for children, the number of children wanted and the acceptance or personal responsibilities for controlling the population explosion. It also talk about spacing children, and procedures of family planning that is available to use. And finally, the growth and reproduction which involves reproductive organs, the mechanism of erection, orgasm and masturbation of the male and female, sex and sexuality problems, Ovulation, menstruation, fertilization, conception and implantation, and pregnancy.
Positive Outcomes of Integrating Sex Education Programs to fourth Year High School
Outcomes regarding sex education brought to teens vary; some researcher says that sex education initiate early sexual intercourse and pregnancy. But according to some organizations and researchers who supports sex education, their survey says that sex education have positive effects to teens. It includes lessening the cases of unplanned pregnancy, sexual misbehavior, and sexually transmitted disease.
Knowledge about sex and sexuality
Knowledge is used to cover such related terms as facts, information, concepts, understanding, know-how, awareness, insight, wisdom, and comprehension. Mankind would not have progressed very far if each generation had to depend solely upon knowledge acquired directly through one’s own personal experience. Sex knowledge, may give meaning to emotional attitudes and fixed habits. If a person knows the right thing to do, he may do it, whereas he may do the proper thing only by chance unless he knows the right thing to do. Sex and sexuality knowledge, therefore, is essential in aiding an individual to make satisfactory responses to new or altered situations outside the classroom and later in life. This type of knowledge stimulates self- analysis and serves as a motivating force. Through the informational aspect of education, we learn not only how to improve our living in various ways. It is important, therefore, that a person develop a sense of responsibility for using scientific thinking and knowledge in the conduct of his daily life.
Reduction of Unplanned Pregnancy and Population Growth rate
According to the nationalcampaign.org, sex education programs have shown positive effects in delaying first intercourse, improving contraceptive use, and preventing unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease among teens based on their survey conducted in the U.S. Accordingly, the population growth rate of the Philippines could be reducing if unplanned pregnancy among teens will be lessened. This outcome is possible because of the introduction of methods contraception including abstinence to the students, because there are really teenagers that are sexually active.
For the Philippines, the rate of teenage pregnancy is high because of not enough emphasis on methods of contraception and abstinence. Filipino teenagers are not aware of the difficulties and problems of unwanted pregnancy for their family life and one of the most affected is their financial matters. It is really hard to take a responsibility in which you are not ready to handle. Being young parent is the hardest responsibility especially if you are financially incapable. Therefore, the future of the child was affected. But the worst case if teenage pregnant will abort the child in her womb because of the fear of the responsibilities. This problem may addressed through sex education wherein these issues will be tackle to give an early warning before these things happen.
So, integration of sex education in school may address this problem through the introduction of methods of contraception that could help alleviate this cases.
Reduction of sexually transmitted disease cases
STD’s nowadays are increasing because the society is getting more liberated but the countermeasures are not being exercised. Teenagers today are easily attracted to sex and many young Filipinos today are engaged to premarital sex but they are not aware of the diseases that they can acquire from those actions without taking precautionary measures of such actions. As a result sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise.
Sex education provides knowledge about how to prevent STD’s and the causes of these diseases. Young people may think twice before doing unsafe sex. One of the purposes of sex education is safe sex which helps reduce the cases of sexually transmitted diseases. Sex education also provides information for teens about the risks of sexual activity like sexually transmitted diseases.
Conclusion
Through integration of sex education and family planning programs to Philippine fourth year high school could help to give knowledge to the youth about the sex and sexuality for the proper development of their attitudes and behavior in relation to sex.
Based on the current statistics that Philippines has an estimated population of 100 million by the year 2012, and teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases are increasing, therefore integration sex education programs is an appropriate course of action to alleviate this problems. Through appropriate curriculum planning for this course those positive outcomes earlier mentioned can be accomplish. Therefore, integration of sex education to Philippine public high schools could help to reduce the cases of teenage pregnancies, cases of population growth rate, and cases of sexually transmitted diseases. And finally, as a clarification sex education is not teaching people to engage in premarital sex it is rather telling that if they fail to control themselves, there are available ways to protect themselves.
