The current Health and Family Life Education (HFLE) programme, offered in secondary schools, lacks relevance and is inadequate in meeting the needs of adolescents while denying them access to sexual and reproductive health information and services, according to the Guyana Equality Forum (GEF).
GEF’s representative, Joel Simpson, made that statement at the University of
St Stanislaus College Board of Governors Chairman, Chris Fernandes
Guyana’s 11th Turkeyen and Tain Talks on the topic “Education and Freedom: Education Reform and Socio-Economic Development in Guyana”.
Simpson was one of the panellists at the Turkeyen and Tain Talks along with Chair of the Education Reform Commission, Ed Caesar; Chair of the St Stanislaus College Board of Governors, Chris Fernandes; Chief Education Officer Marcel Hutson; Guyana Teachers Union General Secretary Coretta McDonald; National Science Coordinator Petal Punalall-Jetoo; Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academic Engagement, Professor Michael Scott; and Conservation International Guyana Vice President, Dr David Singh.
In his presentation, Simpson said that the lack of comprehensive sexuality education, homophobic and transphobic bullying and school dropouts along with the gaps in the reintegration of teenaged mothers into the school system were issues that were deliberately ignored while discussing education reform.
He noted that evaluations by the Guyana Responsible Parenthood Association (GRPA) have shown that programmes on sexual education could help youths delay the onset of sexual activity, reduce risky sexual behaviour, reduce the number of sexual partners, and increase responsible behaviour, including
GEF’s representative, Joel Simpson
protection from HIV; Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) and unwanted pregnancy.
In addition, he explained that the GRPA’s evaluations of the HFLE programme taught in public secondary schools in Guyana found that it ignored the basic human rights of young people by denying them critical information on a range of issues.
“The GEF and GRPA view the HFLE programme as lacking relevance and inadequate to meet the needs of adolescents and denies them access to sexual and reproductive health (SRH) information and services,” Simpson noted.
“Young people need honest, effective sex education that is comprehensive and rights based – not ineffective, shame-based abstinence-only programmes. The HFLE programme is a failure because it has not shown any positive changes in reducing teenage pregnancy and STIs in young people,” he added.
Simpson called on the Education Ministry to work closely with civil society and key stakeholders to implement a comprehensive sexual education programme in the public school system while proving safe spaces for students to discuss sex and sexuality with counsellors.
During his passionate presentation, Simpson, Managing Director of the LGBT advocacy group SASOD, noted that while there were rules for teachers to not discriminate against students based on ability, race, colour or creed, there were no rules that covered sexuality or gender identity.
He added that LGBT students were dropping out of school because there were no laws, policies or mechanisms in Guyana to protect or offer redress to them when they experience stigma and discrimination in the education system. He noted that SASOD and the Guyana Trans United had documented instances where these students were discriminated in clear view of the teachers and nothing was being done to address the level of bullying.
“In some instances, the discrimination of LGBT students are from the teachers themselves and in plain and open view for others to witness,” he noted.
Additionally, Simpson said Guyana lacked any system to reintegrate teenaged mothers in the school system. He recommended that a reintegration policy be developed and implemented to ensure that girls could complete their secondary education after giving birth. He also suggested that the Education Ministry’s Policy on Discipline of Teachers’ Code of Conduct include sexual orientation and gender identity as protective categories from abuse and discrimination.
Review management of Education Ministry
Meanwhile, St Stanislaus College Board Chairman Fernandes noted that there was no short-term fix of the education system, adding that an extensive long-term plan was needed. He explained that Guyana was in a state where private schools were outperforming the public ones and those students from the private primary schools were gaining entry into the top public secondary schools, which undermines the goal of equal opportunity and equity in education.
Fernandes told the gathering that it was his opinion that the management of the Education Ministry needed to be revised since the Ministers failed to consider their tenure as a long-term assignment.
“They seem more interested in creating a public relations programme to make the results being achieved look good as they can during their period at the helm,” he noted.
Education Minister Nicolette Henry was supposed to be one of the panellists at the event, but for some reason could not attend and sent her CEO.
Fernandes explained that the day-to-day operations of the Education Ministry needed to be handled by someone who was highly-trained and qualified and supported by two equally qualified deputies.
“Our emphasis should be for a total audit review of the management system of the Ministry in which the Minister should just be the executive chairman,” he submitted.
CEO Hutson noted that the education system was a work in progress, adding that the Ministry was aware that there was much more to be done for the development of the sector.
