FORUM editorial

CAN SEX EDUCATION ALLEVIATE HIGH CASES OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY?

Personally, I am not in favor of sex education which is conducted to secondary high school as early as grade 7. I don’t think that it will help lessen the problem of teenage pregnancy.

Personally, I am in favor that the— when we talk about sex or sexual aspect of a person, it must be coming from the parents and not from the other persons because those are sensitive issues.

Second is, though we are Filipinos, we have different cultures. Some families would consider talking sexuality at home as a book(?) in other words its prohibited. And, it will not be a guarantee that it will lessen but it will. Because today, many is in clamor that sexuality or sexual education must already be taught in school. That is their opinion, but they have to consider culture.

That is why sometimes we don’t move forward because we tend to reject our values. We do not improve. We keep on saying what is good is we are adapting the Western culture, we are modernized. Sacrificing our values will lead us to many confusions. What is important again, discussions regarding sexuality or sex education should still be in the family— the parents. Sexuality or sex education will be given to the parents, not to students as early as grade 7

Nestor R. Amoroso Secondary School Principal II

A lot of things happen inside a student’s mind and it mixes with the good academically inclined thoughts. Other times, procrastination overcomes us and this is what results to cramming.

Remembering that in the K-12 curriculum, unlike the past one, teachers are considered guides, not mouth feeders. And if we count on them for everything, then what happens with learning? 21st century learning is not spoon feeding. You cannot expect them to lay everything down on the table.

According to the Mrs. Linda Mahomoc Senior High School Assistant Principal, “It is not the brilliance but the patience that is tested,” in education.

Pressure is not all the time bad. Sometimes it helps the mind to be molded into what it should be. Spoon feeding is so last century and it is up to oneself to either choose to spit or swallow.

The issue is multi-faceted. It cannot be curbed by a single program activity it's because it is multi-dimensional. It should start at the family and social relationships with other people.

When it comes to issues like this, sex education may alleviate when it's approach is good.

No matter how good the dissemination of information, at the end of the day, it's upon the hands of the teenagers. There are information influx with regards to sex nowadays where teenagers have a lot of sources of information that may or may not lead to effective application taught by the school or experts.

As part of the LGU, you can have better consultation to the Municipal Social Welfare and Development. It can mitigate, but it is not the only solution to the problem.

In this modern age, we can subscribe to the theory that sex education as a subject in school could alleviate the incidence of teenage pregnancy. This is in support of the belief that knowledge is a sure fireway of enlightenment. Imparting knowledge to youngsters about the facts of life could make them aware of the dangers of going beyond the limit at a young age.

Teachers, parents, and other persons of authority should treat the matter of sex education as a necessary tool in imparting to the young students to avoid unwanted pregnancies. Emphasis on the negative social, economic, and moral impact of unplanned pregnancy could be tackled during sessions of sex education classes.

While we cannot totally say that talking about sex and its consequences in the classroom is the only answer to this phenomenon of teenage pregnancy. Surely, it is a very viable and practical option for our society, through our educational institution to take.

Ermie Lyn F. Gerona Mun. Gender and Development Coordinator

15% 3%

DISBELIEF EVACUATEDIMMEDIATELY the nautilus SURVEY 49% 33% OUT OF 200 RESPONDENTS

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST ACTION/ REACTION AFTER RECEIVING THE FAKE TSUNAMI ALERTS CIRCULATING IN TOWN?

Maurice Dence Bacaling Guidance Designate of SCNHS-SHS

At first I had some side thoughts, but then I came to think and wonder about the reality. As I have observed, those innocent-looking ones are very prone to early pregnancies. I realized that they were defeated of their curiosity or any other factor that led them to do such things. We also have to accept the reality that there are really students practicing sex at early age, it's just that it's their habit already or maybe they are using contraceptives to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Those innocent ones got pregnant due to lack of knowledge or they are not used to it. That’s why, I agree to make sex education as one of our subjects to educate us especially those innocent ones. If there is something that we could do to contribute for the world, it’s to alleviate overpopulation in our own ways. I’ll go for sex education.