DA calls for “Sex-ed” briefing in Parliament following public outrage

31 October 2019

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has taken note of the ongoing debate surrounding the Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE) curriculum. In light of the controversies, the DA wrote to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Basic Education on Tuesday to request an urgent meeting with all relevant stakeholders in order to give the Department of Basic Education (DBE) an opportunity to give a full briefing on what the CSE curriculum will entail.

We have reached out to the DBE who assured us that there was nothing new in the curriculum, and that it is merely lesson plans that have been developed.  However, concerns have been raised by parents and civil society that there is, in fact, new material.

Sex education must strike a careful balance between equipping young people with the information they need to make the right choices, and unintentionally over-sexualizing learners. The DA is cognizant that there appears to be concerns related to the level of detail in some of the proposed CSE material.  There are also claims that some teachers are uncomfortable with teaching some of the material.

The CSE has been generating increased concern and stakeholders, including teachers and parents, need to be reassured that learners are being taught material which is appropriate for their age group.

It is for this reason that the DA has called for a meeting with the Department to brief civil society and parents on the contents and materials of the CSE.

Further to this, the will submit Parliamentary questions to the Department to ascertain:

Whether the CSE will be implemented in schools by 2020;

Whether it has been piloted in schools and what the outcomes are; and

Whether the DBE has consulted teacher unions and parent bodies as to the content.

The best interest of the child should be at the center of any curriculum and it cannot be solely up to the DBE to determine what is appropriate for learners. When approaching the education of the youth we need to approach it in a collaborative manner between the Department, parents bodies and educators.

Issued by Nomsa Marchesi, DA Shadow Minister of Basic Education, 31 October 2019