The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has expressed strong disapproval of the explicit sex education content found in Grade 7 textbooks. This curriculum shift aims to replace the teachings of abstinence with family planning methods. The KCCB, however, vehemently contends that introducing family planning and contraceptive use to young learners could foster a sexualized learning environment and potentially contribute to the already distressing rates of teenage pregnancies and abortions.
Bishop Paul Njiru, Chairman of the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops, articulated the concerns in a statement delivered at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa on Tuesday. He cautioned that such educational content might inadvertently encourage students to explore contraceptive options, further exacerbating the prevailing issues.
Bishop Paul Kariuki, a prominent figure within the KCCB, emphasized during a media briefing, “We note that the content not only sexualizes the learning environment for minors but will also be the biggest contributor to the high rates of teenage pregnancies and abortion.”
Furthermore, the bishops drew attention to the fact that the explicit content contradicts the Ministry of Education’s established policy, which strictly prohibits exposing children to such mature content. “We observe that the said content is against the Ministry of Education Policy that children should not be exposed to such explicit content,” stated Bishop Kariuki unequivocally. The KCCB members argued that the content present in the Grade 7 learning materials does not adequately uphold abstinence as the expected norm for all children.
Upon scrutinizing the Grade 7 Learner’s book titled “Top Scholar Health Education” published by the Kenya Literature Bureau, and the Grade 7 Teacher’s Guide titled “Health Education in Action” by Oxford University Press, the KCCB noted the introduction of family planning concepts and the subtle encouragement of contraceptive use among very young learners.
The KCCB raised concerns over the potential consequences of promoting family planning at the primary education level, fearing that it could potentially lead to an unfortunate surge in teenage abortions. The religious leaders urged principals of Catholic schools to remain dedicated to instilling strong moral values in their students, thus contributing to the cultivation of a balanced and ethical educational environment.
by: News.real