World AIDS Day

[bethesda]

i read some articles about Reproductive Health and HIV-AIDS in Indonesia.
too bad, many negative responses for Reproductive Health and HIV-AIDS issues.
some minority groups still carrying certain religion is against condom use and sex education.
and even certain policymakers refused to put Sex Education/Reproductive Health as item in Indonesia curricula.
so, what do you think guys?


- beth

[Mas Fred]

I think sex education for kids around the age they become sexually aware is a good thing as long as it contains a large portion of moral content explaining why its not a great idea to shag around in the first place.
AIDS being one of those reasons. Guess what subject I'm starting with grades 7, 8 and 9 this week.
No one has done anything with them at all. A serious error in my humble opinion.

I'll be covering the physical aspects, the emotional stuff along with all the potential nasties if they do as I did when I was a young, even more sexy, chap than I am now.

I will deliberately forgot to mention sheep enjoying.

[bethesda]

agreed, Mas Fred! sex education is part of life skill education. must be taught around their age. two years ago I got some modules from Australia about Reproductive Health from kindergarten-grade 12. can't applied all in Indonesia and making some of adaptation due to Indonesia values. it helps me a lot!

let me guess the subject you started...about Reproductive Health?

[Mas Fred]

I wasn't going to start with health. I was going to get real and start with "Sex is great fun".
No point fibbing. I know some have been watch porn and a few are guaranteed to have played a little in one form or another. Maybe just a kiss and a cuddle but don't most full relationships start that way?
Then a run through the physical aspects including losing virginity, the emotional side of things then on to the nasty green penis stuff ending with the other results of free sex/prostitution or whatever.
That would include risky behaviour of all types. That would mostly be sex within smaller groups of people such as prostitutes/gay sex/sex with injecting drug uses.
The results of kids turning up on the scene, potentially ruined lives and so on.
As Indo schools go, that would mean the boot with zero chance of getting in somewhere else.

End of the day I want the kids to avoid what could so easily have happened to me.
(And I was ruddy lucky didn't)

The whole thing will have to be compressed down to a couple of lessons due to time restrictions and I have to push the morality as I'm instructed to do so.
That means I have to be blunt and straight to the point.

Any advice on the subject is very welcome. I'm new to this one.

[bethesda]

WOW!

nice to share each experience on the subject. I think you already have a good starting point. at most Indonesia schools this subject is being taught as a part of Biology, PE and Religion items. those teachers are not ready enough for having discussion on it. so, it's just like other subjects, the students become "good listeners".

some schools have a program, asking educator/doctor for this subject. sometimes I got warn from the teachers for avoiding certain subjects. useless! even I didn't talk about it, students will ask me. and for me, every question, should be answered in the right way.

for grade 7-12, usually starting with ice breaking and give them some stories-caricaturs. for those student club at university, we watch certain movie together and have discussion on it. I put myself as one of their peer group.
some are actively join the talks. but I know, those who are not active, just feel "taboo". so, I give them papers to write down their comments or questions-nameless, of course. I also put my email address, so they can contact me.

and guess what....
don't have to wait for an hour, I got messages right in my box. hahhahaha..

for written questions, the whole questions and its answers put as a bulletin and each student got one. for teachers, I give resume. I do advocate them, for making pilot project on this subject. too bad, the responses are not so good..

I join FHI site especially the Interagency Youth Working Group for upscaling my knowledge

[Mas Fred]

I have so little time on this. I'll be pushed to get more than 2X40 minute lessons and I know that's not even close to enough.
That's why I'm going to have to be direct and more than a little blunt.
Must remember to mention that condoms have the nasty habit of splitting at exactly the wrong time.

I don't like the idea of written answers, way too much chance of their neighbours seeing what they write. In Indonesia that will produce a bunch of lies as no one will admit sexual contact past a kiss on the cheek.
However, I do like the email idea. I set up an email address for the students at the start of the term so I'll suggest they either ask questions in private of email me.

The kids are much more open with me than most of the other teachers so I think I'll get responses especially if they have no one else to talk to.

[Morty]

Great idea to promote this. It is sadly neglected. I remember the sex ed I got. The only one that hit home was by a sexual disease specialist. He was horribly blunt about it all - no messing around with niceties. I still remember it, and it did have an impact on us.
Fred, I am curious to hear you say "condoms have the nasty habit of splitting". This is not my understanding. If they are properly used I thought that they very rarely fail. Personally, I've never had one split, ever...

Still, a critically important subject these days. Even I saw recently that even the Pope has accepted that condoms have a role to play in preventing disease!

[Mas Fred]

http://sqzm14.ust.hk/condom-ratings-95.html

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[bethesda]

@ Mas Fred : limitation of time, so got to give the best shot! you have built good "Rapport" with the kidz, so they feel free telling you anything!

@ Morty : once I ever joined HIV workshop with UNCEF-WHO-Public Health Univ.Indonesia. sex education only available in Papua province-due to HIV endemic.
I have question to the panelis, why only Papua? he said, "due to Papua condition and small budget." too bad, even PNG already has sex education right in their
curricula.
On the other hand, Indonesia still facing "morality" issues, against Condom Campaign. I think govt is one of stakeholder due to condom's issue. if Indonesia govt,
promoted condom as main contraception in early 1980 (just like Japan), instead of hormonal and piles, I guess won't be any resistance on it.
about the Pope, as I know catholic already declared approve condom for STI prevention for several years but against condom as contraception.

[Mas Fred]

Time is short so blunt is going to be needed. No dancing round issues for me.
I have a lovely set of notes on the nasty things that can happen to your reproductive bits and bobs if you bonk the wrong partner.