No need for sex education, will have negative impact on children: RSS-affiliated organisation

There is no need for sex education in schools or making it part of curriculum under the new education policy proposed by the Centre as it will have a negative impact on children, an RSS-affiliated educational organisation said on Tuesday.

However, the Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas (SSUN), founded by educationist Dinanath Batra, suggested that there can be "need-based counselling" for students and parents.

The National Education Policy draft, which was submitted to Union Human Resource Development Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank in May this year, states that sex education will also be included in secondary school for future judgement surrounding consent, harassment, respect for women, safety, family planning, and STD prevention.

The R K Kasturirangan-led committee which prepared the draft policy was constituted by the previous BJP-led government. Strongly objecting to the use of word 'sex', SSUN's secretary Atul Kothari told reporters, "There is no need for teaching sex education in schools or making it a part of curriculum. If required, counselling can be provided for a student in schools." He said that besides children, it is important that their parents are counselled in this regard.

He added that students in schools "should be taught about human body, its structure and parts, which is already being done through science subject".

On the rationale behind opposition to sex education in schools, Kothari claimed wherever it was implemented it had negative effects and should be avoided.

Aiming to Indianise the current education system in the country, the SSUN says it is working to find and establish alternatives to the present education system in the country by changing its syllabus, system, methods and policy.