by TREVOR YEARWOOD

THE HEAD of the local family planning body, George Griffith, has called for "comprehensive sexuality education programmes" in all schools.

Such programmes were essential, given worrying factors such as the incidence of teenage pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, he argued.

The "comprehensive" programmes would cover all aspects of sexuality, including puberty, the whole question of human growth, emotional and sexual maturing and why people were attracted to each other, Griffith said.

The executive director of the Barbados Family Planning Association added that the move would give children "a fighting chance" in life.

It was "regrettable but true" that far too few principals or school boards "seem ever willing to consider the development and implementation of comprehensive sexuality education programmes in the schools", Griffith said in an article made available to the WEEKEND NATION.

"It is always as if sex and rumours of sexual activity in schools by students ought to be addressed in hushed tones, if at all, or to be swept under the carpet.

"This attitude will do the school and society no good and would most certainly make an already bad situation worse."

According to Griffith, there were indications that "the challenge of coping with pregnant students, teenage mothers or sexually active school-age children will continue to overwhelm us until we take our heads out of the sand" and confront the sexuality issue.

He suggested that the education initiative be presented "in an age-appropriate format". It would go some way towards "bringing about the change we so desperately need".

He warned that poverty and exploitation could also be the results of a failure to properly address the sexuality issue.

Pregnant students dropping out of school for one reason or another could end up facing a future "characterised by poverty, exploitation, stigma, discrimination and abuse", he said.

While the regulations state that students should be permitted to attend classes during pregnancy and afterwards, the reality was that "getting back into school after pregnancy is most complex and at times (affected by a policy that is) downright inconsistent and discriminatory", he said.

"It is so largely because a principal of a school may or may not permit a student to return to school after giving birth."

Commenting on the matter, principal of Alexandra School, Jeff Broomes, told the WEEKEND NATION he fully supported the teaching of sexuality within secondary schools.

With such a programme in place, children would get a better understanding of the human body, its functions, its beauty and also its challenges, he said.

"I find that children are a very curious species and anything seen as forbidden, without an explanation being provided and a good understanding, they will seek to explore," Broomes said.

"I believe very strongly in taking away the mystique of sexuality."

He pointed out that while the home should be the most appropriate place for teaching about sexuality, in several homes the required level of mature thought and understanding was missing.