Tyrone Reid, Staff Reporter
Dr. Peter Figueroa, chief of Epidemiology and AIDS in the Ministry of Health, addresses the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) Public Health and Disaster preparedness meeting at the Corporation's Church Street, downtown Kingston offices yesterday. - RUDOLPH BROWN/CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
DR. PETER Figueroa, chief of epidemiology and AIDS in the Ministry of Health, believes condom skills should be taught in the classroom.
Dr. Figueroa stressed yesterday that there must be some drastic changes in the sex education curriculum being used in schools, as what currently obtains is insufficient to prepare students for adulthood.
"I am an advocate for young people in the schools to learn how to use a condom because if you don't actually practise putting a condom on a dildo you are not going to know how to put it on when it comes to having sex," Dr. Figueroa said.
He added: "We have got to get safe sex education and condom skills in the schools, even while the schools are recognised as no-sex zones. We have to prepare the young people for a sexually active adulthood".
Dr. Figueroa was making a presentation on HIV/AIDS to the Parish Disaster and Public Health Committee of the Kingston and St. Andrew Corporation (KSAC) at the Council's Church Street, downtown Kingston offices yesterday.
SEXUALLY ACTIVE
He also said it was no secret that some students, although the small minority, are already sexually active and, as a result, steps must be taken to safeguard them from contracting HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases.
Dr. Figueroa said his administration was working along with the Education Ministry but that there was still some level of resistance to adding condom skills to the curriculum.
He said that "schools that run away from dealing with sex and HIV/AIDS education are leaving the young people unprepared for life."
