Sex Education Courses Failing To Meet Needs Of Students In New Zealand, Report Finds

Main Category: Sexual Health / STDs
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Women's Health / Gynecology
Article Date: 29 Aug 2007 - 9:00 PST

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The sex education programs in primary and secondary schools in New Zealand are failing to meet the needs of its students, according to a report conducted by the New Zealand Education Review Office, the New Zealand Herald reports. Sex education in the country became a requirement in 2001, but some students have been exempted because of religious and cultural beliefs, the Herald reports.

According to the Herald, New Zealand has the second highest teenage pregnancy rate of countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and it has increasing rates of sexually transmitted infections and abortions among youth. In 2006, the fertility rate in the country was 28.4 pregnancies per 1,000 girls ages 15 to 19 -- second only to the U.S. rate of 45 pregnancies per 1,000 girls.

For the report, the ERO assessed the quality of sex education programs in grades seven to 13 in 100 primary and secondary schools. It found that many schools were adopting a "one-size-fits-all" approach to sex education. The report found that 20% of the schools assessed had "substantial weaknesses" in their teaching methods of sex education. According to the report, only five of the schools had programs that were "highly effective," and 30 schools were ranked "effective."

Many schools used outside providers, such as public health nurses, to teach the programs, the report found. Two areas of weaknesses in most schools were a lack of assessment of student learning and a failure to meet the needs of diverse groups of students, according to the report. At the most ineffective schools, students identified gaps in terms of their needs and the information being provided, including abortion, contraception, pregnancy, STIs, nonheterosexual people and sex.

The report found a strong focus on puberty in sex education courses at primary schools, while secondary schools focused more on contraception, relationships and STIs. The ERO said it is concerned that many schools administered the same programs from one year to the next, "with little consideration to students' individual needs."

Reaction
Jackie Edmond, ERO's chief executive, said, "Family planning is not critical in schools," adding, "Our view is that schools would value and welcome clearer guidelines from the ministries about the sexuality education curriculum."

Education Minister Steve Maharey said the report showed there had been "good overall improvements" since the last review in the 1990s, and "many schools are doing well." He added that some schools were struggling and that a "good practice report" would be valuable. According to Women's Affairs Minister Lianne Dalziel, improvements in the knowledge, skills and attitudes of young people would lead them to make more informed decisions about sexual and reproductive health and "will reduce risky behavior" (Oliver, New Zealand Herald, 8/24).

The report is available online.

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