Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, April 24) – The Department of Education (DepEd) is proposing to teach sexual and reproductive health to students as early as Grade 4 and has included such lessons in its draft K to 12 curriculum guide.
Under the theme “Safe and Active Living for Healthy Sexuality and Family,” the education department has crafted physical education and health lessons that aim to explain and analyze the right to healthcare needs, sexual and reproductive health.
The DepEd said the lessons can develop sound decision-making skills of students in relation to healthcare needs and rights.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y6dIq8mvqNh2PRYQIBGwws_GbSf2U6up?fbclid=IwAR1l-gh_8w3YG4og_ngAxcK9iTvGvrxbiYomtOOWvVIO9itcKvryr-4N4JE
In the current K to 12 curriculum, the concepts of reproductive health are first introduced during the first quarter of Grade 8.
This includes understanding of human sexuality, managing sexually related issues, and identifying different trends concerning teenagers such as identity crisis, and the need for support and understanding of the family.
Earlier this month, the department said it would release the final draft of its Kinder to Grade 10 (K to 10) curriculum and gather feedback before launching it within the year.
READ: DepEd eyes launch of new K to 10 curriculum this year
https://www.cnnphilippines.com/news/2023/4/13/deped-k-to-10.html
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, reproductive health refers to issues concerning reproductive, maternal and infant health.
In 2022, a report from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that 5.4% or 5,531 of women in the country aged 15 to 19 have been pregnant.
http://rssocar.psa.gov.ph/article/special-release-2022-national-demographic-and-health-survey-ndhs-key-indicators-teenage#:~:text=In%202022%2C%20there%20were%205.4,from%203.5%20percent%20in%202017.
The Cordillera Administrative Region ranked first among regions at 6.1%, a 2.6% increase from the recorded 3.5% in 2017.
It also found out that teenage pregnancy declines as the level of their education increases.
But in general, PSA said teenage pregnancies declined from 8.0% in 2003 to 5.4% in 2022.
