A sex education controversy over a booklet containing explicit material and being circulated among year six students at a leading international school in Colombo is being probed by the National Child Protection Authority (NCPA).
NCPA Chairman Anoma Dissanayake told the Sunday Times the booklet--’Introducing Moral Issues’ by Joe Jenkins-- explained details of sexual acts, the use of contraceptives, abortion and the methods of making love among a host of other adult material. It was being distributed among 11 and 12-year-old children at the Colombo International School (CIS).
“This is outrageous, international school or otherwise. The police have been called in for a probe and the principal of the school will be summoned to the NCPA for an inquiry,” she said.
She also called on the Education Ministry and the parents to get involved in the probe since it was their responsibility as well.
“At present my office is making inquiries whether this booklet is a part of the syllabus in other international schools. If that is the case the NCPA can do little about it and the Education Ministry must take action,” Ms. Dissanayake said.
CIS Principal, M.J. Chappel told the Sunday Times the booklet had been in the syllabus since 1997 without complaints from any quarters. “Although the booklet had been distributed among the students it is not discussed in the class room. The booklet will stay where it is and the matter ends there,” Mr. Chappel said.
The matter came to light after a parent brought it to the notice of the NCPA, when his repeated requests to the school authorities to withdraw the booklet were turned down.
He claimed that the particular book is usually issued to children over 15 years in UK. |
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