Sex-education 'still lagging’

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33068, 8 November 1972, Page 19

Sex-education 'still lagging’

“Too much talk and too little action” on sex-education programmes for primary and intermedate schools, was the consensus of the executive of the New Zealand School Committees’ Federation, meeting - in Christchurch.

The executive suggested that few schools were aware of the availability of a set of three films on sex education that had been recently placed by the Department of Education in the National Film Library. These films were “highly recommended” and had met with much success when shown in Britain on television to children from aged seven upwards. Support for the principle of sex education programmes for primary and intermediate schools should be pursued by all school committees, because “once public opinion is strongly enough in favour we believe the Government will take action.” “Once this is accepted, the introduction of a programme should be in the hands of those best qualified to formulate and implement it as an integral part of the school curriculum.”