Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jan 23, 2008
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Online edition of India's National Newspaper Wednesday, Jan 23, 2008 ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version |
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Government had decided against introducing sex education in schools NACO has asked KSAPS to stop funding the awareness campaign BANGALORE: The State Government’s decision to not introduce “sex education” in schools has brought to a halt HIV/AIDS awareness programme in thousands of government and aided high schools throughout the State. National Aids Control Organisation (NACO), the nodal agency at the Centre for HIV/AIDS prevention measures, has asked the Karnataka State AIDS Prevention Society (KSAPS) to stop funding the awareness programme in high schools in the State. An official in the Health Department told The Hindu that NACO used to set aside funds for awareness programmes to be taken up by society. In 2006-07, the society had spent over Rs. 1 crore for undertaking awareness programme in 8,000 schools. NACO had decided against taking up the awareness programmes following reports that the H.D. Kumaraswamy Government opposed adolescence education programme in high schools. Rajasthan and Gujarat too opposed the programme launched by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development in collaboration with NACO, for students in the 15-17 age group. On April 18, 2007, the H.D. Kumaraswamy Government held a meeting with various non-governmental organisations and decided against introduction of adolescence education programme on the grounds that it would not be in the students’ interests. The Health Department official said the Education Department’s decision against introduction of the programme resulted in discontinuing HIV/AIDS awareness programme in schools. Instead of adolescent education, the previous Government decided to launch “value-based” education. The then Minister for Primary and Secondary Education Basavaraj S. Horatti had constituted a high-level committee to look into the issue of adolescence education programme. However, the committee has not yet submitted its recommendations. The society, established in 1999, with the aim of reducing the spread of HIV infection and strengthening the State’s potential to prevent and control HIV/AIDS, has been implementing awareness programme in schools with the help of block education officers and schoolteachers. The society had received Rs. 42 crore from NACO for undertaking HIV/AIDS prevention measures in the State in 2007-08. However, it asked the society not to fund the school awareness programme till the State Government took a decision on introducing adolescence education in high schools, the official said. The Education Department is likely to take a decision only after receiving report from the panel. “Since it is a policy decision, the Education Department has to take the decision first,” the official said. The adolescence education programme is aimed at making the learners aware of the major concerns, that is the process of growing up during adolescence, HIV/AIDS and drug abuse; to inculcate in them positive attitude regarding these concerns; and to help them acquire life skills so that they avoid risky situations like HIV infection and drug abuse and develop healthy and responsible behaviour.
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