Sexuality Education
MOE SEXUALITY EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
1. Sexuality Education (SEd) in schools is about enabling students to understand the physiological, social and emotional changes they experience as they mature, develop healthy and rewarding relationships including those with members of the opposite sex, and make wise, informed and responsible decisions on sexuality matters. SEd is premised on the importance of the family as the basic unit of society. This means encouraging healthy, heterosexual marriages and stable nuclear family units with extended family support. The teaching and learning of SEd is based on respect for the values and beliefs of the different ethnic and religious communities in Singapore on sexuality issues.
2. The goals of Sexuality Education are to:
- To help students make wise, responsible and informed decisions through the provision of accurate, current and age-appropriate knowledge on human sexuality and the consequences of sexual activity;
- To help students know themselves and build healthy and rewarding relationships through the acquisition of social and emotional skills of self-awareness, management of their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, development of empathy for others, possession of effective communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills; and
- To help students develop a moral compass, respect for themselves and for others as sexual beings, premised on the family as the basic unit of society, through the inculcation of positive mainstream values and attitudes about sexuality.
3. The key messages of Sexuality Education are:
- Love and respect yourself as you love and respect others;
- Build positive relationships based on love and respect (which are the foundation for strong families);
- Make responsible decisions for yourself, your family and society; and
- Abstinence before marriage is the best protection against STIs/HIV and unintended pregnancies. Casual sex can harm and hurt you and your loved ones.
You may click here for more information on MOE Sexuality Education.
Overview of St. Margaret’s Secondary School’s Sexuality Education Programme for 2021
4. Sexuality Education is delivered in a holistic manner through the school curriculum. The content for Sexuality Education is grouped into five main themes: Human Development, Interpersonal Relationships, Sexual Health, Sexual Behaviour, and, Culture, Society and Law. You may click here for more information on the scope of Sexuality Education in the school curriculum.
5. The subjects that incorporate topics on sexuality include:
- Science
- Character and Citizenship Education (CCE)
Sexuality Education Lessons:
At St. Margaret’s Secondary School, the following lessons from the Sexuality Education Programme will be taught in 2021:
Secondary 1 CCE 2021 Theme: Making Choices
Secondary 2 CCE 2021 Theme: Making Choices
Secondary 3: Sense and Sexuality (2nd Edition)
Secondary 4: Sense and Sexuality (2nd Edition)
Secondary 5: Sense and Sexuality (2nd Edition)
eTeens Programme
8. eTeens is a programme developed by Health Promotion Board, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, for Secondary 3 students to provide them with accurate information on STIs, HIV and protection from a health perspective. eTeens is conducted in two segments – a mass talk segment and a classroom-based programme.
9. Students are taught skills such as decision-making, assertiveness and negotiation to say “no” to sex and negative peer pressure. They also learn that the impact of STIs/HIV extends beyond themselves and involves their family. Abstinence and upholding family values are the key messages. The desired outcome of the eTeens programme is that students are empowered to make wise, informed and sensible decisions.
At St. Margaret’s Secondary School, the eTeens programme will be implemented as follows in 2021:
Information For Parents
10. Parents may opt their children out of the Sexuality Education lessons, eTeens and/or supplementary sexuality education programmes by MOE-approved external providers.
11. Parents of Secondary One to Five students who wish to opt their children out of the Sexuality Education lessons need to complete an opt-out form. This form can be completed and submitted via Parents Gateway. For those without access to Parents Gateway, a hard copy will be distributed via your daughter/ward at the start of the year. The form is also downloadable here. A hardcopy of the form, duly completed and signed, is to be submitted to the school office by 17/02/2021.
12. Parents of Secondary Three and Four students who wish to opt their children out of the eTeens programme need to complete an opt-out form. This form can be completed and submitted via Parents Gateway. For those without access to Parents Gateway, a hard copy will be distributed via your daughter/ward at the start of the year. This form will be distributed to parents at the start of the year and is also downloadable here. A hardcopy of the form, duly completed and signed, is to be submitted to the school office by 17/02/2021.
13. Parents can contact the school at khaw_kee_wan@moe.edu.sg or 6466 4525 to speak to Mdm Josephine Khaw (Sexuality Education Coordinator) for discussion or to seek clarification about the school’s sexuality education programme.