Lack of sex education a ticking time bomb, civil society organisations warn

Speaker Rebecca Kadaga. Last year, Parliament passed a resolution banning all forms of comprehensive sexuality education in schools

As the country prepares for the celebration of the International Day of the Girl Child, CSOs have warned that lack of sex education in Uganda schools is creating a ‘ticking sexual health time bomb'.

The Centre for Health, Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) argues that sex education should be compulsory in all schools across the country.

Joy Asasira, the programme manager for research and advocacy at CEHURD said the move to ban all forms of comprehensive sexuality education has jeopardised the realisation of the right to education and access to information.

"Pupils are not prepared for adulthood and remain vulnerable to sexually transmitted infections," she said while was addressing the media on the International Day of the Girl Child celebrations to slated for October 11, in Kyenjojo district, under the theme: Girls' Progress Goals' Progress: Accelerating Vision 2040 for the Ugandan Girl.

The celebration is aimed at increasing awareness on issues faced by girls in an effort to contribute to the larger voices for health advocacy efforts.

Asasira explained that age-appropriate sex education should be an essential part of the curriculum for all young people, stressing that parents should also spare time to talk to their away from school.

"But without access to accurate information, children will remain exposed to reckless sexual lifestyles," she warned.

Ibrahim Batambuze, the communications and advocacy manager at Reach A Hand Uganda said access to information and sexuality interventions are issues of urgency, stressing that any time lost may lead to a wrong choice of action taken by a child.

"Uganda is faced with a challenge of many teenage pregnancies, child marriages due to lack of information among the young people," he noted.

Adding; "Lack of compulsory sex and relationship education in academies and Universal Education Schools (UPE and USE) is building more health problems in future, creating a ticking sexual health time bomb, as we are seeing in those who have recently left school," he said.

Last year, Parliament passed a resolution banning all forms of comprehensive sexuality education in schools.

The resolution by Parliament also halted dissemination of training materials until a new suitable policy is put in place by the education ministry.

The lawmakers, while banning all forms of comprehensive sexuality, said sexuality education emphasises the values, practices and behaviours that are against Ugandan customs and aspirations.