The department is set to intensify Comprehensive Sex Education (CSE) as part of the education curriculum in order to curb the crisis of learner pregnancy.
The department is said to be taking over the responsibility of teaching children about sex as parents appeared to have failed.
Many parents understand that it is only compulsory to teach the biological facts of reproduction in secondary school lessons and have been opposed to the idea of teaching children about sex.
The DBE spokesperson, Elijah Mhlanga, stands opposed to parents who criticize the department for content about sex within the education curriculum.
Sex education is not new, what we have done now is to give scripted lesson plans to our teachers to know exactly what they must teach. We found that when teachers teach, they skip certain sections which they feel are inappropriate for learners hence the increase in learner pregnancy.
The department states that if parents were playing their part in educating children about their bodies, schools wouldn’t be facing the crisis of learner pregnancy.
Mhlanga said the DBE won’t allow children to be victimised sexually even by people close to them.
Children need to be thought to protect themselves against sexual assault and related offences, the DBE said.
The department confirms that the CSE that is being taught to learners is age appropriate and aims to give learners the necessary information to protect themselves.
In addition, Cabinet recently approved the National Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy which would be adopted by schools.
Policy also said learners must be provided access to comprehensive pregnancy prevention information, counselling, guidelines and care, as well as the setting up of policy management and co-related structures.
In August the DBE Minister, Angie Motshekga declared learner pregnancy as a crisis that requires intensive sex education implementation.
As parents remain opposed to the content of sex education in schools, the department believes that CSE is the right thing to do to fight the crisis of pregnancy in schools and arm learners against sexual assault.
Teenage pregnancy is a national crisis. That's the word from Basic Education Minister, Angie Motshekga. Motshekga has expressed concern over the alarming number of teenage pregnancies. She says her department will be intensifying the implementation of the sex education programme. pic.twitter.com/H8jDNQv6cb
— eNCA (@eNCA) August 29, 2021
