New sexuality education for junior cycle
A new SPHE draft curriculum that will teach junior cycle students about safer sexual activity has entered its consultation phase.
The updated Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum covers topics including healthy, unhealthy and abusive relationships, human sexuality and gender identity, consent, contraception, and the influence of digital media including pornography and the sharing of digital images online.
It also covers topics ranging from bias, inequality or exclusion to development of emotional resilience and addiction.
The draft follows a major review of Relationships and Sexuality Education (RSE) carried out in 2018 by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NCCA).
The review process heard from school communities and a wide range of stakeholders and found a need for it to be brought up to date and improved in a range of ways. The NCCA published the report of its review in December 2019.
Minister for Education Norma Foley welcomed the draft curriculum, calling the consultation phase an “important step” to ensure that a wide range of views are heard on the topic.
“The NCCA has engaged with the student voice and listened carefully to what they have said. The aim is to ensure that we have a modern and appropriate curriculum that reflects modern, day to day challenges and equips our students with the knowledge and skills that they need to make informed, healthy life choices,” said the minister.
She continued: “I encourage those with an interest in this area to make a submission and when schools return in September, the NCCA will begin a process of direct engagement to hear the views of all members of school communities.”
The three month consultation process opened on Monday and is open to anyone to make a submission.
When schools return in September, there will be a particular focus by the NCCA on engagement with school communities to ensure they all have the opportunity to have their voices heard, with the consultation continuing until the middle of October.
SPHE is part of the Junior Cycle Wellbeing programme which also includes Physical Education (PE) and Civic, Social and Political Education (CSPE).
The programme provides up to 400 hours of time-tabled learning for students across the three years of junior cycle. SPHE incorporates relationships and sexuality education.