Karnataka to teach “life skills” instead of sex education

Instead of imparting sex education as suggested by the Federal Ministry of Human Resource Development, Karnataka will teach “life skills education” to students in its high schools from the current academic year.

Disclosing this to reporters in Bangalore, Karnataka’s Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj Horatti said the State Government had decided against introducing sex education in schools following widespread opposition against the move.

The Federal Ministry of Human Resource Development under the Adolescence Education programme had sent a set of study material for implementation of sex education. “After perusing the material, the State Government found the material to be objectionable and not in the interest of the students”, Horatti said.

The tool kit developed by the National Aids Control Organization in collaboration with other organizations contained many obscene charts that were against the cultural ethos. The State Government would shortly write a letter to the Federal Government indicating Karnataka’s decision against introduction of sex education.

Horatti said the Government’s decision was based on a consensus arrived at after holding discussions with various social activists, non-governmental organizations, academic and medical experts.

He said officials of the education department had also met various groups including Students Islamic Organization (SIO) in Bangalore, who had expressed themselves strongly against introduction of sex education.

Instead of sex education, students of high schools in Karnataka will be taught “life skills” that focuses on health care and discipline among children. The introduction of “life skills” was based on a report prepared by National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), Bangalore.