Religious leaders and representatives of schools have been called upon to beef up efforts in teaching of comprehensive sexuality among young people.

The call was made by the Minister of State for Primary and Secondary Education, Olivier Rwamukwaya, yesterday, at a meeting on the role of faith-based organisations in the promotion of comprehensive sexuality education in Rwanda.

The meeting, in Kigali, comes after comprehensive sexuality education was included in the new competency-based curriculum as part of efforts to help in stopping unwanted pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases among young learners.

It was noted that most young people, especially teenager,s lack adequate knowledge to help them make safe and responsible choices about their sexual and reproductive health.

"Young people nowadays lack adequate information to enable them make a smooth transition from childhood to adolescence and then adulthood. This leaves the majority of them potentially vulnerable to abuse, exploitation, unwanted pregnancies and HIV/AIDS and this might lead to dropping out of school in one way or another,” Rwamukwaya said.

He added that participants needed to be enlightened on comprehensive sexuality education, gender and other reproductive health issues and how it has been incorporated in the new curriculum.

It is important that such studies start early in children’s homes, schools and community.

"I, therefore, call upon religious leaders and other stakeholders such as head teachers to complement what we have already put in place because it’s our duty as parents, guardians, teachers, religious leaders and others to play our respective roles in supporting and equipping Rwandan children with a life of knowledge, skills, aptitude and values that will help them make informed decisions about their future,” the minister added.

The ealier the better

Rwamukwaya noted that more actions are needed because "it’s a reality that we live with and the faster the society implemented the comprehensive sexuality education in schools, the higher the chances of nurturing children who know how to be responsible and how to conduct themselves.”

The knowledge will also give them a deeper understanding of their bodies, how to respect them and those of their colleagues, he said.

The meeting was also attended by the country representative of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Jozef Maeriën, who reiterated the importance of comprehensive sexuality education noting that it will go a long way in ensuring that all young people are equipped with competencies and the knowledge they need to make safe and responsible choices about their sexual and reproductive health.

"Comprehensive sexuality education provides complete medical information from trusted sources about all aspects of human sexuality and relationships, including the development of interpersonal skills in the area of communication, decision making and resisting peer pressure in order to achieve responsible decision making,” Maeriën said.

He explained that comprehensive sexuality education prepares young people for healthy relationships; marriage and parenting.

Maeriën also said religious leaders will be able to provide non-judgdmental counsel and reliable information to young people who tend to turn to unreliable information which doesn’t allow them to engage in healthy relationships.

"Religious leaders are critical partners given the number of young people within their reach and dimension of holiness, their take of human beings, body, mind and soul and their role as counselors and mentors for young people. Their guidance is critical to the young people,” he added.

The programme has been running in various schools.

Religious leaders react

Some religious leaders said their faith had nothing against the teaching of comprehensive sexuality education in their schools while others will only stop at preaching abstinence.

"Our religion has nothing against teaching comprehensive sexuality education because it’s important for a girl to understand how to conduct herself when she starts menstruating or a boy when he starts having wet dreams. We will go through various phases according to their age because this information is important,” said Sheikh Musa Sindayigaya, Imam of Kigali.

Sr Helen Nayituriki, head teacher of Lycee Notre Dame de Citeaux, said they have always counselled their students about sexuality and that they will continue doing so because their religion is not against such teachings as most people tend to think.

She said since teaching the subject is now in the curricula, it will complement their efforts but urged parents to take the lead.

"We always teach our girls abstinence and to be resilient even when they face strong sexual urges. We don’t counsel them to use condoms because that’s not our policy. However, I would like to ask parents to take the lead in this because they are usually the first teachers of children before us,” Sr Nayituriki said.

The transition from childhood to adolescence and then adulthood has always been a challenging one but with the competent based curriculum incorporating comprehensive sexuality education, there’s renewed hope to solving the challenges.

The subject takes a holistic approach to human development and sexuality.

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