Action on Teaching HIV in Schools
posted: 17/07/2009
Earlier this week we asked you to stand up for the rights of children and young people to effective HIV education in all schools. One further simple step we ask is for you to give the same message to the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority.
Last October the Government announced it would make sex and relationships education (SRE) a statutory part of the National Curriculum by 2011. It has not happened yet - there are two consultations about it. Churches and schools opposed to teaching all children about HIV, sexuality and relationships are actively campaigning against making HIV and SRE compulsory.
Unless there is a strong show of support for making SRE part of the curriculum, the Government may decide not to make this change, and young people will then continue to miss out on basic information about how to protect themselves from HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
Tell the QCA we must have sex and relationships education in schools
As part of the review, the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority is consulting with a short questionnaire on PSHE. Please complete the survey, support making sex and relationships education part of the National Curriculum. There are only 10 simple tick-box questions. The more responses the QCA receives in favour, the stronger the pressure to act.
You can download the survey (in Word) and then email it to the QCA
You could simply copy the tickbox answers given by THT. They are listed here. You can see all of THT's completed survey here. Section 1 is the most important bit, where you vote for SRE. (Section 2 asks questions about specific areas of the curriculum, which you can ignore if you wish).
Making PSHE a part of the National Curriculum will be essential to improving the UK's future sexual health, we have already come a long way in campaigning for this, we just need one final push to make it a reality.
Suggested answers to tickbox questions
QCA PSHE Reform Survey (Word)
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