By Trudy Simpson, Staff ReporterTHE MINISTRY of Education said it is now considering plans to make health and family life education (HFLE) a compulsory subject.
This follows criticism it received from some health officials for how it has handled a subject aimed at imparting importing life skills and safe sex information to students.
The issue came up at an Education Ministry HIV/AIDS management retreat on January 28, where it was recommended that the Ministry implement the plans by September 2004.
"We had discussions on the matter of HFLE. It was put forward that a request be made. We will have to have discussions on it (but) that is where we want to go," said Dr. Deloris Brissett, head of the Ministry's Guidance and Counselling Unit. She was speaking with The Gleaner on Wednesday.
At a Gleaner Editors' Forum last November, some health officials were concerned by the Education Ministry's decision to allow schools to determine whether they teach health and family life education.
SEXUAL INITIATION
They are concerned that, even with earlier sexual initiation among, and growing HIV infection rates in youngsters, sexually-active and other students are not being adequately reached and advised in schools. In fact, schools have the choice of removing from their timetables a subject which can be used to teach children life skills, safer sex practices and empowerment, health officials said.
Dr. Brissett admitted then that the Ministry was powerless to prevent schools from pushing HFLE off the timetable, despite the Ministry's having developed and distributed a curriculum which includes a component on raising HIV awareness in schools.
The decision to implement the programme rests at the school level, especially with principals, and often comes in a poor second to subjects such as mathematics and English Language in terms of time allotment on the timetable, Dr. Brissett said.
But in the same forum, Lovette Byfield, behaviour change communication programme specialist in the Ministry of Health, said family life should be mandatory and added if the Ministry of Education takes a lead position on HIV/AIDS education and public awareness, most of society will follow, including schools.
Dr. Peter Figueroa, the Health Ministry's chief of Epidemiology, had also expressed concern, stating that the subject was important to empower children with an understanding of sexual skills, to ensure their ability to relate in a positive manner to each other, and to make sure they are properly prepared as they move into their adolescent years and adulthood.
