News
Age-related sex education to be combined in existing subjects
View(s):By Minaza Hassan
Sex education will not be added as a stand-alone subject in the curriculum reforms starting on 5 January, Education Ministry Secretary Nalaka Kaluwewa said, despite the topic generating conversation over the past few months.
While recognising that social issues such as child abuse and inadequate awareness are genuine concerns stemming from insufficient sex education, Mr. Kaluwewa said that associating it with the broader reforms could fuel misinformation and overshadow the entire reform initiative due to the topic’s sensitive nature.
Sex education already exists as components in subjects like health science and will likely continue in its existing form or with slight modifications, but it is not a central focus of the reform agenda, Mr. Kaluwewa said.
Deputy Minister, Dr. Madhura Seneviratne said the modules already printed for the current batch of students will not include any new component on the topic. However, age-appropriate sex education is expected to be integrated into existing subjects rather than as a standalone subject.
It will be incorporated in civic education, law, and health and physical education, meaning that related content covering physiology, anatomy, legal awareness, and health will form one section within a broader curriculum framework rather than existing as a separate stream, said Dr. Seneviratne.
The intention is to give students a holistic understanding, including basic information on sexual offences as part of everyday legal and civic awareness, said Dr. Seneviratne.
The curriculum is still under development, and the process is transitional, with changes being introduced gradually alongside teacher training, he added.
Curriculum development is overseen by the National Institute of Education (NIE), with subject directors from the Ministry of Education contributing to the design of modules, which are printed through the Education Publications Department, he explained.
However, despite the Ministry’s reserved approach on the topic, psychologists provide strong arguments for comprehensive sex-education.
Research from long-term studies show that when children receive continuous, age-appropriate education over many years starting from early childhood they become more aware of sexual harassment and violence, said psychotherapist Ms. Varuni Fernando.
These studies also show that early learning around empathy and emotional regulation significantly reduces later aggression, bullying, and violent behaviours in relationships, she added.
This means we need to teach empathy and consent from a young age, not as vague moral lessons, but in specific everyday contexts. When children are guided to recognise respectful behaviour in real situations, it can help prevent issues like catcalling, public flashing, and teenagers sharing intimate images without consent, said Ms. Fernando.
Research-based guidelines issued by the World Health Organization (WHO) highlight that children should learn about bodily autonomy, boundaries, and digital consent from an early age, using age-appropriate language that parents and teachers can easily apply, she added.
This is especially important in Sri Lanka, where many children face sexual abuse, often from people known to the family, and very young children do not know how to identify or communicate discomfort, said Ms. Fernando.
A comprehensive sex education supported by the WHO guidelines can also help stop reinforcing myths such as boys being unable to control themselves or girls being responsible for preventing harassment, said Ms. Fernando.
Children are already often exposed to inappropriate and sexually explicit content online, and there may be a natural curiosity and urge to explore and learn about such content. In such a climate, sex education can provide a safe space and proper guidance for children who may otherwise involve themselves in unsafe experimentations and rely on harmful sources for guidance, said lecturer and psychologist, Starrina Perera.
Age-appropriate sex education in schools can prevent this by teaching children about safety, consent, and boundaries in a controlled, informed way, she added.
Research from other countries shows that proper sex education reduces risky behaviour and unsafe experimentation. By providing structured guidance, schools can help guide children to navigate a digital world where exposure to sexual content is inevitable, said Ms. Perera.
Sex education can even start very early, around ages 3 to 6 years, where children can be taught the proper names of body parts, what kinds of touch are safe or unsafe, and basic consent such as refusing a hug, said Ms. Perera.
From ages 7 to 11 years, sex-ed should address puberty, bodily boundaries, bullying, peer pressure, and respecting others’ personal space, said Ms. Perera.
During the teenage years, lessons can expand to cover attraction, feelings, consent, digital safety, and responsible online behaviour, she said.
The aim is not to encourage sexual activity but to equip children with knowledge to stay safe, and to make informed choices, said Ms. Perera.
The effectiveness of sex-ed depends on acknowledging what children have already been exposed to, and creating a safe space to ask questions, said Ms. Perera.
Teaching sex in a factual, non-shaming way helps break harmful myths such as extreme gender stereotypes or viewing sex solely as procreation and prevents long-term issues in sexual health and relationships, said Ms. Perera.
Sex-ed should also holistically address existing issues. When children face sexual harassment or are exposed to explicit content, many do not turn to their parents due to fear, strictness, or shame, and instead seek help from unsafe sources, which can worsen the situation, said Ms. Perera.
Mental health support, including counselling and family therapy, is critical to help children navigate guilt, anxiety, and confusion and understand privacy, said Ms. Perera.
The lack of open, age-appropriate sex education contributes to gender-based violence, as both boys and girls may experience harassment but lack the knowledge to recognise, report, or respect boundaries, she said.
Harassment and problematic behaviour around sexual topics stem from a lack of sex education, said lawyer and women’s rights activist, Jerusha Crossette Thambiyah.
If children were taught about boundaries, consent, and respectful behaviour from a young age and early education stage, it can shape attitudes, prevent gender-based violence, and foster respect between men and women, as younger children are more receptive to learning and forming healthy habits, said Ms. Thambiyah.
Sri Lanka is far behind in sex education, which is partly due to societal and religious resistance, which perpetuates the blaming of women in conversations about sexual harassment and places the burden of shame on women rather than addressing the behaviour of perpetrators, leaving victims hesitant to report abuse, said Ms. Thambiyah.
People should be taught from a young age that sexual harassment and abuse are crimes and offences, said Ms. Thambiyah.
Effective sex education should teach children how to interact safely and respectfully with others, rather than just anatomy, and include discussions on emerging issues like deepfake content and digital sexual harassment, said Ms. Thambiyah
Early, open conversations can empower both boys and girls to prevent abuse, challenge the culture of shaming women, and recognise sexual misconduct as a crime, said Ms. Thambiyah
The focus must shift from blaming victims to teaching society, from a young age, the importance of consent, said Ms. Thambiyah.
When sex is framed only as something “shameful” or “wrong,” children don’t stop being curious, they simply stop asking questions. When they cannot talk to adults, they turn to the internet or their friends for answers. Unfortunately, what they find online is rarely healthy, said psychologist Dilmi Weerasinghe.
This silence especially affects boys, who may learn harmful ideas about masculinity from porn or peer groups. A more open, honest, and age-appropriate approach would help guide their curiosity in a healthier direction, she added.
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