A New Way To Cut Teen Pregnancies!

Three charities working to find out effective ways to reduce teenage abortion rates have recommended compulsory sex education lessons for four-year-olds.

Brook, the Family Planning Association and the Sex Education Forum have strongly argued that sex and relationships education (SRE) must be engrained in primary school curriculum.

Due to lack of proper sex education children get into sex too early in their lives. This is the major reason for high rate of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and abortions among teenagers.

Teaching children about body parts and relationships with friends and family from a tender age would make them comfortable in raising questions without any hesitation, in case they have any doubts regarding sex and relationships.

This would make their relationship with parents and teachers more interactive. They will grow up as well-informed individuals with ability to make better choices for themselves.

Better sex –education would enable the children to maintain good sexual health in adolescence.

"While sex and relationships education continues to be patchy, another generation of children and young people do not get the education they need to form healthy relationships and protect their sexual health." Simon Blake, Brook's chief executive said.

Blake contended that at first youngsters have sex just to find out what it is, just to satisfy their curiosity.

Brook argues that free confidential contraceptive and sexual health services must be made available to the youngsters at secondary schools.

FPA chief executive Julie Bentley mumbled that young people persistently point out that the sex and relationships education provided to them at present is not up to the mark.

The proposal made by the charities has been criticized by the parents and the teachers.

"What this is really all about is the sex education establishment trying to force schools to do something many parents - and many teachers - are uncomfortable with. It's vital that parents' views should continue to be respected and that schools should remain sensitive to parental concerns on such a controversial issue.” perturbed Norman Wells, director of the pressure group, Family and Youth Concern said.

FPA on contrary wants parents to support their efforts and help in getting the recommendations approved.

As of now the proposal has not been given green signal by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, a spokesperson said.