A report this week, which found that 10 per cent of secondary school children are not getting proper sex education, also offered a revealing insight into how teachers approach the subject. Róisín Inglereports
While sex education statistics made headlines this week, even more revealing were the views of principals and teachers that featured in the newly published report into the implementation of sex education programmes in secondary schools. One teacher, speaking about a recent training day, summed up the difficulties inherent in teaching young people about sex: "There are people [ teachers] who think it's a load of rubbish and who were very uncomfortable. They actually left. They couldn't deal with talking about feelings and didn't see its relevance to us or to students."
THANKS TO THE report, commissioned by the Department of Education and the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, we now know that while 90 per cent of schools are teaching the subject to some degree, Relationship and Sexuality Education (RSE) is being taught in a selective and haphazard manner. The report also showed that one in 10 schools does not teach any form of sex education despite it being a vital component of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) programme introduced to Irish schools more than 10 years ago.
According to the report, the inconsistent approach can be blamed on a "lack of leadership" from school principals and boards of management, the "overcrowded curriculum", "discomfort" among teachers and the "competing pressures" of exam subjects. The report also showed that while some teachers may be reluctant to engage with the issues, students are more interested than ever in learning about sexually transmitted infections and sexuality in general.
What emerged was a widespread ambivalence to ensuring the RSE programme is fully implemented. And even where there was a firm policy in place, the subject was not taken seriously by some teachers surveyed, who said the subject was viewed as having a low status.
"Anything that doesn't have an exam at the end of it is going to be a doss as far as students are concerned," a teacher said. "It's the class where they can chat."
"I know some teachers don't want to teach it because they see it as a joke," said another. One teacher pointed out that RSE was viewed as a sub-section of "pretty much a small curriculum and particularly when that curriculum isn't exam based, the vast majority of teachers see it as someone else's role. You know, 'I'm not a religion teacher; it doesn't concern me; it's not my role.'"
Another was frank about the fact that RSE was low down on the priorities of teachers unless, as in some schools, the subject was treated as a priority: "If the subject hasn't got a status, forget it. The curriculum is absolutely jam-packed and everybody is pushing for their own subject area to be looked after. And if a thing isn't treated with respect . . . I was at an SPHE co-ordinator's meeting last week and I was listening to people and a lot of it is lip-service. If it's treated like that, well, how is it going to be regarded by the students or by other teachers?"
DISCOMFORT, ACCORDING TO the teachers surveyed, was a huge issue when it came to talking to young people about sex. "I would say a lot of people would prefer to be teaching their subject. And I think as well, and possibly with me, I'm not comfortable with teaching sexuality really," said one.
A principal suggested that it's not a subject which should be foisted on all teachers because not all educators are suited to such issues. "I really do think it's a very special thing and I think only people who wish to do it should be given a chance," said the principal. "I don't think it should be just, 'Oh, you've a spare gap in the timetable, I'll put you in'. It doesn't suit everybody and the kids pick up on that in 10 or 15 minutes; they know who is comfortable with it and who isn't."
Several teachers agreed. "I think for those who don't mind teaching it, it's fine. The problem is when you have teachers who do mind teaching it. And you really don't get an option. You're just told that you have to teach it this year," complained one.
Under the veil of anonymity, teachers spoke of using the class for study periods or teaching other subjects instead and a few admitted to being selective about which aspects of the RSE course they taught.
"I might take little bits of material out of the RSE but the sexuality bit and all of that area from conception to birth and the use of condoms . . . I don't touch it. It's there on the timetable but in reality that area is not being covered," said one.