By Ruby Rabiu
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The federal government recently launched a new curriculum known as the new basic education curriculum for primary and junior secondary schools. The new curriculum is said to address amongst other things, issues of value re-orientation, poverty eradication, critical thinking, entrepreneurship and life skills.

The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC) is responsible for the compilation and completion of curriculum used as a guide to qualitative education in both primary and secondary schools. The National Council on Education (NCE) has already approved the curriculum and plans are in high gear to produce the curriculum in mass for immediate use in schools.The executive secretary of the NERDC, Professor Godswill Obioma presenting the new curriculum to other stakeholders in the education sector at the Education Resource Centre, Abuja said the new curriculum seeks to correct the abnormalities of the former one which was lacking in the areas of human capacity development. Professor Obioma sensitising teachers on the advantages and effectiveness of the new basic education curriculum said it allows and gives opportunity for the students to be taught skills and educate them on the need to appreciate their culture. He added that if teachers adequately implement the curriculum then students would be able to interact very well, which would sensitize the environment and promote peace and development in the country.

A feature of the new curriculum is the phasing out of primary science and integrated science for what is now known as Basic Science and Technology, which according to the Obioma prepares a child adequately for the higher studies by providing a solid foundation on which to build upon.

Professor Obioma said that Information Communication Technology (ICT) has been introduced into the primary school curriculum, alongside culture and creative art all to build the child for the hazards of the future.

In an interview with Daily Trust, Obioma said they intend to implement the curriculum on a piece meal basis, to allow for proper planning and self development. He said, “we would start from primary one and gradually phase out the old primary school curriculum, we also start with JSS 1 and phase out that of the junior secondary school.

“The curriculum has two components, the primary and junior secondary curriculum, that was the initial plans by the council on education last year, but now we have done an advocacy nation- wide on the curriculum, and they all agree that the curriculum be introduced from primary one and then taken up gradually.”

Children and adolescents with disabilities are often left out when it comes to sex education, although they are at a higher risk for sexual abuse than their typically developing peers.  Statistics show that children with developmental disabilities are 4-10 times more likely to be victims of sexual abuse. Also rates of STDs are high among young adults with disabilities. So why aren’t children who have disabilities receiving meaningful sex education?

Aside from the fact that sex education is a constant item of debate in the standard curriculum, there are many reasons. People who are disabled are often seen as uninterested or incapable of sexual activity, or on the other hand they are seen as sexually deviant. Regardless of common stereotypes all people need to be educated on this vital topic, that can have mortal and significant health consequences.

Sex education may save a person’s life.  It is critical that children and teens with disabilities learn appropriate sexual behaviors.  They must be taught when to say no and learn to advocate for themselves and report abuse.  Children and teens with disabilities have a right to be taught to protect themselves, and often times as parents that job falls on us.  There are numerous resources available in the form of books, workbooks, and videos.   There are also tips for parents and caregivers on when to educate children and what type of words to use.  In addition some families may need disability specific resources available to help parents talk to children.  Parents of children who are deaf-blind and significantly developmentally delayed may find  information useful in the book “Introduction to Sexuality Education for Individuals who are Deaf-Blind and Significantly Developmentally Delayed”. There is a wealth of information on the web regarding sex education for those with disabilities.

My father always taught the children, which is me and my brothers and sisters sex education whenever there was any chance. I thought that was very good. Similarly, I taught my children about sex whenever appropriate.

Last Sunday, while driving, we came across this advertisement. It was the children who showed me this advertisement. They did not know what this advertisement was about. I made use of this golden opportunity to tell them what condom really means. I told them how to get pregnant and what are some common myths and wrongful thoughts that people have about sex. For example, you will not get pregnant by merely kissing. I told them what is sperm and disease like AIDs.

Some research efforts have found that kids nowadays have knowledge and exposure to the subject of sex at younger ages of about 12 to 14 years old. This is the age of puberty, wherein both girls and boys start to get really curious about the changes in their physical structures. Because of youth and lack of sufficient knowledge and information, many teenagers fall into practicing pre-marital and teenage sex.

Teenagers think having sex at younger age makes them adults. Never do most of them think of the greater responsibilities and risks that come along with teenage, premarital and unprotected sex. Unfortunately, consequences and events can transpire before teenagers realize the danger and disadvantage of engaging in unprotected sex.

Safe sex is very important. That is because the primary evolutionary purpose for sexual drive is to reproduce. Failure to practice educated and safe sex can lead to unplanned pregnancy for teenagers who are just starting out in life. This is a usual pitfall for teenagers engaging in premarital sex. Those youngsters who neglect the value and importance of safe sex are often led to live with diminished potential because of early parenthood. The need for safe sex education pales in comparison to the burden of how those kids would raise families and kids of their own.

In addition to unplanned pregnancy would be the risk of contracting sexually transmitted diseases. Simple sexual ailments like herpes and gonorrhea are easily transmitted. Worse, if the STD contracted is HIV or human immunodeficiency virus, there is a greater possibility for the occurrence of AIDS. Teenagers are most prone to the disease because they are curious and are open to being sexually adventurous.

What can parents and societies do to help ensure that teenagers would practice safe sex? For a start, parents might assert that ensuring that their kids abstain from sex would be the best way. However most recent studies have shown that abstinence-only education does not help prevent teenagers from engaging in sex. So if that would fail, it would be easy to just make the kids prepared for any possibility.

Disseminating knowledge about safe sex is highly recommended. Safe sex is the concept of still enjoying sex albeit the use of several tools and items to safeguard both parties. Through safe sex, unwanted pregnancy and sexual disease transfer can be effectively curtailed. There can be an obvious delineation in any lesson plan between educating teenagers on safe sex and encouraging safe sex.

What is the most common types of safe sex? The use of condoms is so far identified as the most common and practical form of safe sex. Through the use of latex rubbers, sexual couples would not be exposed to risks of infections and the possibility of early or premarital pregnancy would be effectively eliminated.