Should Sex-education be introduced in Pakistani Schools?

Pakistani headlines have been tainted by the unfortunate news of aggravated assault and sexual harassment. Our country is flooding in a pool of obscenities. An emerging issue is the ever-growing rape culture. Holy sanctuaries are now discovered to house victims of assault and violence. Members holding sanctimonious and reputable facades are aggressors of these heinous acts. Nobody is seen to be safe anymore. Not even animals. Animals are overtly abused. Their lives are considered disposable. Our society is achieving feats in ignorance. It seems like members are purposely abandoning their moral instincts so as to resort to fiendish behavior.

Conservatism has been intertwined in the very fabric that created Pakistani culture. As a society we have been taught to keep important topics such as: sex, abuse, rape and mental health behind closed doors. Our minds have been trained to never utter words regarding sexual intercourse. The act itself has been glorified by several horny teenagers who cannot wait to tell their peers that they are amongst the brave soldiers who partook in the conquest and slayed the dragon. Whispers may be exchanged about what sex is and what it may be, but the lack of information being provided to young adults regarding sex itself stigmatizes its very existence.

“What truly is sex and is it actually as great and magnificent

as our secret desires and fetishes have created it to be?” This question looms in almost every young and old Pakistani’s mind. A simple solution to understanding the forbidden word is through sex-education. Rather than turning to porn websites to facilitate one’s flow of information and education about sex, implementing sex education within Pakistani school’s curriculum can easily help ease off the tensions that have been tied to the existence of this act. Sex education helps people gain the information, skills and motivation to make healthy decisions about sex. It turns sex into less of a mystery and more into a reality. It teaches young adults safe ways of practicing it. An environment where there is an open dialogue about sex can prevent individuals from displacing their frustration from the lack of information they have about it. This can possibly put a stop to men experimenting sex on animals, in turn raping these innocent creatures. Sex education is something that Pakistan’s education system has never fully given access to its students. In 2016, Mirza Kashif Ali, who is the president of the All Pakistan Private Schools Federation said “it’s against our constitution and religion”, had he forgotten Article 25-A of the 18th Amendment that guarantees all children free and compulsory education? When asked about the importance of children receiving sex education, UNESCO said “Too many young people receive confusing and conflicting information about relationships and sex, as they make the transition from childhood to adulthood. This has led to an increasing demand from young people for reliable information, which prepares them for a safe, productive and fulfilling life. When delivered well, comprehensive sex education responds to this demand, empowering young people to make informed decisions about relationships and sexuality and navigate a world where gender-based violence, gender inequality, early and unintended pregnancies, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) still pose serious risks to their health and well-being. Equally, a lack of high-quality, age- and developmentally-appropriate sexuality and relationship education may leave children and young people vulnerable to harmful sexual behaviors and sexual exploitation.” Did Mr. Ali disagree with UNESCO? Or was he not aware of the importance of sex education? Whatever the reason, it points at the same question, is this man competent for the job he has? Considering the fact that he’s the same man who also not only tried to ban Malala Yousufzai’s book “I am Malala” but wrote his own book against her. PTI’s government has also done nothing to implement mandatory sex education despite making several promises of a new and improved single curriculum. It’s almost as if the Minister of Education, Shafqat Mehmood shares the same level of incompetence and utter ignorance as Mirza Kashif Ali despite being a person who boasts great academic success. Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, the head of a moderate clerics’ alliance called Pakistan Ulema Council, when asked about the teaching of sexual education and its place in Islam, said, “If the teachers are female, they can give such information to girls in the limits of Sharia.“ which makes us question whether this man is forgetting the white of the flag or simply not acknowledging it’s existence. Islam encourages its followers to strive for education regardless of what kind of education, how can a religious scholar want to deny the children of this nation something so important? This alone raises a wall of questions about his knowledge of the religion he claims to represent.

Sex education that specifically reference ‘sexual assault’ and ‘consent’ allows impressionable minds to understand that sex is not just an act, it is a manifold responsibility that produces a mental, physical and emotional effect on the people involved. Unesco (2009) argues that sexuality education has a number of mutually reinforcing objectives. It increase knowledge and understanding (such as about sex and the law, the nature of sexual abuse and what to do about it). It allows one to explore and clarify feelings, values and attitudes (developing self-esteem and feeling proud of one’s body). Furthermore, through sex education, one may develop or reinforce skills (saying “no”, resisting pressure); which may promote and sustain risk-reducing behavior (seeking help). Furthermore, curricula circled around the concept of consent has great promise as well. From a young age, if children are taught and encouraged to say no in situations where they feel their comfort is compromised, they too can grow up to become adults who do not cross boundaries. Such curricula does not necessarily have to be introduced when one is sexually active. Introducing it at a young age can have a lasting effect on one’s psyche, allowing one to exercise consent in all situations, allowing them to become mindful and respectful human beings.

The best way to create positive change is through education. The blanket of ignorance that has been laid down on topics that are important to one’s growth and self- recognition has bred an environment of heinous atrocities. By being aware of what sex is and how it truly is not an act of glorification and measure of one’s ‘manhood’, we can attempt to remove the stigma attached to it, allow conducive and constructive growth and enlightenment within our Pakistani society.