DC Debate: Is Health Minister Harsh Vardhan’s comment on banning sex education justified?

DC Debate: Ms K Santha Reddy Vs Ms Purnima Nagaraja

DC discusses whether health minister Dr Harsha Vardhan’s comment on banning sex education is justified

K Santha Reddy: BJP leader, former member of national commission for women

Value education first - Our elders did not receive any formal sex education, yet they were all empowered individuals. They knew the difference between right and wrong as their education was rooted in Indian traditions.

I completely agree with health minister Harsh Vardhan’s statement because what he actually meant was that value education should be given priority over sex education.

Children need sound values first, that will help them differentiate between good and bad. Unless that is done, there is no scope for happiness. Sex will give only temporary pleasure. All our elders, including my parents, grandparents did not receive any formal sex education, yet they were all empowered individuals. They knew the difference between right and wrong as their education system was strongly rooted in  Indian traditions. Ethics and values were more important. This is not moral policing, but more of value-based education.

These days there is a huge impact of Western culture on youngsters and many of them have access to a lot of information online about sex. Children have many queries about sex and they demand a proper answer. For this they should talk to their parents or teachers, but sex education must not be made mandatory.

With easy access to technology, our values are at stake. In such grave situations, it is the responsibility of the parents and the family to take care of their children.

Youngsters must voice their concerns within the family first. Discussing with peers must not be encouraged as the information might be incorrect. Also, the peer group pressure is very strong and can influence decisions.

Youngsters watch a lot of movies these days, without parental guidance and this too could alter their thought process to a great extent. It is the responsibility of the parents to keep a check on how their children are learning things and source of information. There is a valid reason for movies being marked A and U. Sadly, we often see parents taking their children to adult movies.

Purnima Nagaraja: Consultant Child Psychiatrist, Dhriti Psychological wellness centre

Educating toddlers should be about ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch’, how to protest if someone touches  them the wrong way. A sexually abused child grows up into a  disturbed adult

We, the people of India, are a sexually shy and an inhibited lot. We are also steeped in our cultural and religious practices, therefore sex education means different things to the people of India. The statistics of child molestations and brutal sex crimes committed by juveniles are being attributed to the sex education classes in school, whereas I think it is in fact the opposite.

Children seem to be attaining maturity earlier. Without adequate mental maturity, early physical maturity with hormonal surges can wreak havoc on the minds of unaware youngsters. Most children are curious about sex, sexuality and birth. When parents are asked questions, children usually find rejection or a rebuff because of the sexual taboos that exist in Indian families.  They then end up surfing the Internet.

With parents inhibited and shy, the onus is on schools to take up the responsibility of educating children about sex and healthy relationship issues. In most schools, pictures of gentilia are shown with sketchy scientific jargon that, in fact, confuses children. I feel sex education is a wider field and should start from kindergarten. Educating toddlers should be about ‘good touch’ and ‘bad touch’, how to speak up if someone is touching them the wrong way because a sexually abused child grows up into a severely disturbed adult.

Menstruation, hygiene and issues regarding sex for older girls and gender sensitisation for boys and preventing use of sexually explicit language must be taught. Issues such as molestation, pornography, bullying etc.  should be addressed. Many a times, an innocent search might lead to a restricted site that is misleading. Most of the information on the Net is designed to titillate. This leads to early sexual experimentation and kids get into learning a wrong pattern of sex.

Let people stop being squeamish about addressing issues that mark the future of our country’s attitude and behaviour. The content of sex education is not physical sex; it should span issues of bodily changes and impulses like gender sensitivity. Psychologists must be involved in training teachers on how to incorporate these issues in the curriculum.