Sex class attendance would be optional

Press, 4 October 1984, Page 1

Sex class attendance would be optional

By

MICHAEL HANNAH

in Wellington Changes to the Education Act will be introduced this year to allow parents to withdraw their children from sex education classes in primary schools, if a new health education syllabus is approved by the Government.

A proposed health education syllabus, containing a sex education component, was discussed yesterday by the Government caucus education sub-committee, chaired by the member of Parliament for Yaldhurst, Mrs Margaret Austin.

The Minister of Education, Mr Marshall, was expected to present a paper to the sub-committee, and he will consider the sub-com-mittee’s recommendation. If, as is expected, the recommendation favours the new syllabus, Mr Marshall is in turn expected to approve its introduction on a pilot basis in 15 schools next

year. At this stage, the schools have not been chosen, though Mr Marshall is known to want a mix of urban and rural schools. The pilot programme would involve only Forms I and 11, and so applies to intermediate schools, but not to junior classes.

The pilot scheme would be monitored and if successful would allow a full introduction of the new health education syllabus officially in 1986.

Present regulations do not allow parents who disapprove of the syllabus to withdraw their children from classes. Consequently, an amendment to the Education Act would be introduced this year to cover the proposed pilot scheme. The Education Department has not worked out detailed content for the new syllabus yet, beyond a “broad framework,” according to Mr Marshall’s office.