Running head: COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL

EDUCATION 1

Comprehensive sexual education

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Comprehensive sexual education

Also referred to as sexual education, comprehensive sexual education is an instructional

method based on the syllabus whose primary objective is to give students: values, acquaintance,

skills and, brashness to make strong and appropriate choices in their sexual living. The main aim

is that through comprehensive sexual education students will be prevented from contracting

sexually transmitted diseases and infections (Tolbert, 2012). Besides, comprehensive sexual

education helps in reducing unwanted and teenage pregnancies, as well as reducing the rate of

domestic and sexual violence. The paper shall, therefore, discuss, why comprehensive sexual

education is a necessity or right of students.

Why comprehensive sexual education is a necessity or right of students.

Millions of young individuals get numerous conflicting and confusing information about

sex and relationships from various source. This tends to affect them as they transit from

childhood to adulthood. As a result, this has caused a rising demand from young individuals for

information which is reliable, and that which prepares them for a fulfilling, safe and productive

life. If delivered appropriately, comprehensive sexual education responds to demand, and it

empowers youths to be capable of making relevant choices about their sexuality and

relationships. Furthermore, it helps young people to navigate a world where: Unintended and

early pregnancies, gender-based violence, gender inequality, AIDS and other sexually transferred

diseases still act as a serious subject to the youths well-being and health (Eisenberg et al., 2008).

Correspondingly, the lack of developmentally appropriate, high-quality relationship and

sexuality education may expose these young people to sexual exploitation, and harmful sexual

behaviors.
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Comprehensive sexual education plays an indispensable part in addressing the well-being

and health issues of young people and children. This is because comprehensive sexual education

contains some components that allow students to discuss and explore sexuality, and the diverse

continuum of the identities of gender that exist: beyond, within, and between the simple senses

of heterosexuality. Also, it contains some elements which examine the dynamics of power in

individual rights and relationships.

Thus, if these concepts are not taught theoretically, they can have severe effects on young

people. One of the impacts is that it will interfere with how young people relate with each other:

both in wider educational and social, as well as sexual spheres. Various research done by

scholars have proved that addressing such issues, may have a significant impact on the expansion

of young individuals social networks as well as in school. Additionally, comprehensive sexual

education engages what some doubles people regard as grim zones (Eisenberg et al., 2008).

However we choose to consider it, sexuality is one of the most acute features of personal

identity. Hence, comprehensive sexual education regards sexuality as a positive force reason

being: the pleasure that is derived from sexuality, being as essential as the pleasure of feeling

reproductive duty is an integral part of our daily life.

Another reason why comprehensive sexual education may be a necessity is that: it tends

to focus on learning and teachings that are respectful of cultural backgrounds, age, and

experience. These teachings also engage the young people as it helps them to distinguish the

information they get. What is most interesting is the fact that studies have proved that,

comprehensive sexual education does not increase sexually related activities or sexual initiations.

In a nutshell, the traditional sex education was all about: "If you're going to do it, this is how

everything works, and you need to protect yourself in these ways to prevent this." But on the
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other hand, comprehensive sexual education is quite similar to traditional sexual education, but it

asks the young people to reflect on what it is and to look deeper into the insights of its

consequences.

Why do young people need comprehensive sexuality education?

For organizations like The International Planned Parenthood Federation, comprehensive

sexual education, is the only way that will secure the widespread approval of sexual education.

This is because comprehensive sexual education focuses more than just the mechanics of sex:

since it is more focused on assisting young people all across the world, to become more active

participants, more informed, and more respectful in line to their nation and community.

What does the evidence say about CSE?

There exist numerous evidence on the impact of comprehensive sexual education. First,

comprehensive sexual education has positive effects. It increases the knowledge of young

people, and it also improves their assertiveness concerning reproductive health and sexual

behaviors. Second comprehensive sexual education in schools does not increase the rate of

sexual activities, it also does not induce HIV/STD infection rate, and it does not foster sexual

risk-taking behavior. Third, programs that promote abstinence as the only viable option are

inefficient in shelving sexual initiation (Stanger-Hall & Hall, 2011). Lastly, comprehensive

sexual education is most effective when this school-based program is complemented by the

involvement of youth-friendly services, teachers, training institutes, as well as parents.

In conclusion, comprehensive sexual education is a necessity, and it is vital for it to be

taught in schools. This form of schooling gives a broader platform where students can be taught

things which their parents are unable to teach them. Sexuality is an important issue which needs
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to be addressed with a lot of care and concern, and this can only be achieved if comprehensive

sexual education is made part of the schools' syllabus.

Reference

Tolbert, L. V. (2012). Comprehensive Sex Education. Life at All Costs: An Anthology of Voices

from 21St Century Black Prolife Leaders, 204.

Stanger-Hall, K. F., & Hall, D. W. (2011). Abstinence-only education and teen pregnancy rates:

why we need comprehensive sex education in the US. PloS one, 6(10), e24658.

Eisenberg, M. E., Bernat, D. H., Bearinger, L. H., & Resnick, M. D. (2008). Support for

comprehensive sexuality education: Perspectives from parents of school-age youth.

Journal of Adolescent Health, 42(4), 352-359.