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Published on October 4, 2007

The poll was revealed at a press conference to launch the "Love Lust and Learning" campaign by the Programme for Appropriate Technology in Health (Path).

The campaign is aimed at encouraging schools to teach comprehensive sex education.

The poll, conducted on 2,721 education service area administrators, school administrators, teachers and parents, revealed that more than 70 per cent do not think sex education will promote promiscuity among youths and around 89 per cent think sex education to be as important as academic subjects.

It also found that over 75 per cent agreed to allow both male and female students to learn how to use birth-control facilities correctly, and over 80 per cent want sex education to teach students not to have sexual relationships until they get married.

In addition, more than half agreed to have demonstrations and practice of how to use condoms correctly for both genders of students.

Meanwhile, more than 50 per cent of parents want condoms provided at schools, but 64 per cent of education service area administrators, school administrators and teachers disagreed with the idea.

Sixty per cent of parents and education service area administrators think pregnant students should be allowed to continue their studies at their school, or after delivering their baby depending on the students' demands, whereas 57 per cent of school administrators and teachers disagreed.

Fifty nine per cent of parents do not want students with HIV to study in school, while 50 per cent thought they should.

However, Pawana Wienrawee, the technical director of Path, said: "Several international research papers confirm that comprehensive sex education doesn't encourage youngsters to initiate sexual intercourse at an earlier age. In contrast they tend to delay their first sexual encounter and if they have one they will do it more safely."

Deputy Education Minister Varakorn Samakoses and Suan Dusit Rajabhat University deputy rector Sukhum Chaleysub said administrators and parents want to open their minds to the idea of sex education as shown in the poll - but are unable to do so in practice.

"This is because their way of life, beliefs and shyness obstruct sex education and we don't have any who can teach the theories seriously," Sukhum said.

"The most important impediment is parents. We have to make them understand sex education before teaching their children," Varakorn said. "Personally, I believe teaching sex education can help youths live safely because it makes them understand themselves and others more. Sex education doesn't mean only sexual intercourse, it is also about learning the psychology and physiology of males and females."

Pawana added that Path will help youngsters offer their opinions and recommendations towards sex education by announcing a poll to make relevant people understand what they want.

Wannapa Phetdee

 The Nation