A new sex education strategy aims to reduce rates of teenage pregnancy and sexual diseases in Tasmania.Education Minister Nick McKim has launched the Relationships and Sexuality Education Strategy for government schools.
Mr McKim says the strategy have age-appropriate education for students from kindergarten to grade 12, and will include sexual diversity.
The strategy will rollout next year to students from kindergarten to grade 12, but is not mandatory.
Sex education is currently at the discretion of individual schools, with many opting to neglect the subject.
The Minister says proper sex education is part of a well-rounded curriculum.
"Tasmania has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the country. We have some very poor health outcomes in terms of sexually transmitted diseases," he said.
"Introducing this strategy will be part of helping our community get on top of some of these poor health outcomes.
"I'm confident that this strategy will deliver by 2014, relationships and sexuality education taught in all Government schools in Tasmania.
"That's certainly my intent and that's my expectation and my hope."
Gay community advocates have welcomed the inclusion of sexual diversity teaching.
Elizabeth College student Aratama Rogers says it could help remove discrimination.
"It would be really good if they started making young people feel more comfortable about homosexuality and transgender," she said.
"That's not what they see all the time, they think it's quite werid.
"If they get told that's not weird, it's fine, that will implant that thought in their head and they'll grow up thinking like that."
The Parents and Friends Association is concerned about a lack of funding for the strategy.
President Jenny Eddington says without dedicated funding, schools may provide ad hoc education.
"Some schools will choose to deliver the programme in-house so to speak, so using teachers within the school."
"Others will choose to deliver the programme by engaging the expert outside agencies to run the programme."
Mr McKim says the strategy have age-appropriate education for students from kindergarten to grade 12, and will include sexual diversity.
The strategy will rollout next year to students from kindergarten to grade 12, but is not mandatory.
Sex education is currently at the discretion of individual schools, with many opting to neglect the subject.
The Minister says proper sex education is part of a well-rounded curriculum.
"Tasmania has the highest rate of teenage pregnancy in the country. We have some very poor health outcomes in terms of sexually transmitted diseases," he said.
"Introducing this strategy will be part of helping our community get on top of some of these poor health outcomes.
"I'm confident that this strategy will deliver by 2014, relationships and sexuality education taught in all Government schools in Tasmania.
"That's certainly my intent and that's my expectation and my hope."
Gay community advocates have welcomed the inclusion of sexual diversity teaching.
Elizabeth College student Aratama Rogers says it could help remove discrimination.
"It would be really good if they started making young people feel more comfortable about homosexuality and transgender," she said.
"That's not what they see all the time, they think it's quite werid.
"If they get told that's not weird, it's fine, that will implant that thought in their head and they'll grow up thinking like that."
The Parents and Friends Association is concerned about a lack of funding for the strategy.
President Jenny Eddington says without dedicated funding, schools may provide ad hoc education.
"Some schools will choose to deliver the programme in-house so to speak, so using teachers within the school."
"Others will choose to deliver the programme by engaging the expert outside agencies to run the programme."
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