Participants lamented that sexual health education was not made part of the school curriculum. PHOTO: FILE
Participants at a discussion of the consensus view to spread awareness in society about sexual and health problems of adolscents. They called for a change in mindset and curriculum to address these problesm.
The needs of adolescents have to be harmonised with formal and informal education, the panelists recommended at a policy dialogue on education and adolescents on Wednesday.
The dialogue encompassed discussions about specific weaknesses in the education system and lack of community response and commitment.
They urged policymakers, civil society and affected students and parents to make joint efforts in this regard.
“Our education system produces people with a degree but does not impart education as teachers lack necessary skills, attitude and personality composure,” Dr Salma Siddqui, the head of the Department of Behavioural Sciences at the National University of Sciences and Technology (NUST) said while chairing the session.
There is a need to include social values in the curriculum which seriously lacked personality development, she said.
Siddiqui also suggested formulation of effective policy to bridge the gap between policymakers and students. “Such a framework can only be developed with the consensus of all stakeholders,” she added.
The founder of SACHET, an NGO, Dr Rakhshanda, said there is a lot of tolerance for intolerance in Pakistan.
“Once we talked to the elite schools’ principals and teachers about the awareness of HIV, we were amazed that the reply was surprising as they thought we are going to spread vulgarity at schools,” she lamented.
She urged civil society as well as rights activists and policymakers to
speak up against misperceptions which are a genuine concern.
Another participant was of the view that the 2009 education policy clearly mentioned that sexual health education would be included in the curriculum but that is yet to take off.
“The government must be questioned about their intransigence after four years,” she said.
A doctor from the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences shared the example of an old lady who was suffering from a disease for 20 years but, due to shyness and conventional societal barriers, could not talk to anybody about it.
“When I encouraged her to share it we started treating her and now she is living a normal life,” she said, adding that people must discuss their problems and not shy away.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 3rd, 2013.
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