Government plans to teach basic sex education to primary school children in a bid to tackle teenage pregnancies and sexually-transmitted diseases have come under fire from a conservative Christian group.
National director of Christian Voice, Stephen Green, said that teaching young children about sex is "a wickedness" from a government that wants to see "a whole generation fornicating." He said the proposals would sexualise young children and only "encourage experimentation".
He added:
"I believe sex education should come from the family and should emphasise chastity. A child should stay a virgin and marry a virgin to have a better chance of having children."
Schools minister Jim Knight today challenged claims the government plans to teach 5 year-old about sex adding that care will be taken to avoid "sexualising young people too early."
He said:
"We are not talking about five-years-olds being taught about sex ... What we are talking about in Key Stage 1 [ages 5-7] is children learning about themselves, their differences, their friendships, how to manage their feelings."
The proposed personal, social and health education (PSHE) curriculum, expected by 2010, will include compulsory sex and relationships education. Body parts and animal reproduction will be taught to 5 year olds: puberty and intercourse from the age of 7and contraception and abortion from the age of 11.
At the moment children are taught the biological side of reproduction. Whilst schools must have a sex education policy, they are under no obligation to teach children about the emotional and social side of sexual relationships.
Under the new proposals no school will be able to opt out. Mr Knight emphasised that faith schools will still have to teach the curriculum - which includes contraception, abortion and homosexuality - but can, of course, continue to teach religious beliefs about sex and promises separate guidance on this issue.
