The problem with sex education in Thailand

[Scott]

Many years ago, I was teaching science and a part of the curriculum was sex education.  I believe it was the first time at the school that it was being taught.  It was an interesting experience and I must say I was probably a little more nervous about it than the students.  If I recall correctly, they were 9th graders, so roughly 14-15 years of age.  

 

Most schools and most parents really want it to be a "DON'T HAVE SEX" class. 

 

There are two basic parts to it.  First, there is the biology and the mechanics.  That, for me was most uncomfortable.  The students seemed unusually interested and intent.   It covered everything from ovulation and pregnancy to orgasms and a lot in between.  The students asked a lot of questions -- which is highly unusual.  Most were serious questions, a few inappropriate ones and a few humorous ones.   It touched on sexually transmitted diseases, birth control and related issues.

Second, is the more complicated social rules surrounding sex.   This was only touched on by me.  I am not Thai.  I can't give a Thai perspective and the school had arranged for a group of monks to come and talk to them!  None seemed too thrilled when they came out of that session.  It was a talk and there was no interactive discussion.

The fact that I did touch on pregnancy, parenthood, responsibility, disease prevention, etc. did leave the door open to more discussions.  Over the next few years, the same students did come with a lot of questions, mostly of a personal nature and in one instance, a possible unwanted pregnancy (did I know where they could get an abortion).  It turned out to be a false alarm.  

 

In the social-cultural context, sex education is not a unit in a class.  It's on-going.   The biology is MASSIVELY stronger than the cultural admonitions against sex.

[scorecard]

On 11/8/2021 at 7:05 AM, tingtong said:

Teaching in school or not....

 

Ultimately it is the job of the parents to teach about the basics, not kindergarten teachers.

 

As for some ppl might bring snacks ...

Most kids, in Thailand too, abused by family members or close family friend, or those they are the under care and said to trust, like teachers, monks.

The sad truth.

 

 

And plenty of info. that 'kids abused' means both girls and boys.

[jacko45k]

13 hours ago, fredwiggy said:

Sex education here will make no difference if children are allowed to have sex, 6 years before their brains are fully developed.

You aren't going to stop that happening. I just think the females need to be educated into the dangers of getting pregnant so young, and probably being too submissive to the pressures of males. 

[Salerno]

20 hours ago, Wookie said:

Even later on when I was at Grammar school the Biology lessons only discussed how plants reproduce !

Not ideal but not necessarily a bad thing either. We had full on sex education including a very graphic video of childbirth, one girl fainted 2 threw up and one boy threw up, of course he blamed it on the smell and sounds from the girls throwing up not the video 555

[fredwiggy]

22 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

You aren't going to stop that happening. I just think the females need to be educated into the dangers of getting pregnant so young, and probably being too submissive to the pressures of males. 

That's sex education.  Making the boys financially responsible for the kids they help create will curb many pregnancies. In the US, if you don't pay child support, you're jailed, and when you get out, you start paying or you go back. And you stop, or hinder, younger children from having sex by raising the minimum age of consent to 18. The disturbed individual(s) who started that either were uneducated, pedophiles themselves or a combination of. The main problem of this world is over population, and that comes from sex, and millions of children are having babies before they are old enough to take care of or support these children. Then the kids get passed like footballs to grandma who is sometimes illiterate or uncaring herself, so the kids can fend for themselves, ride scooters at 8, without helmets, and being unsupervised, and eventually start experimenting with drugs, booze or sex themselves, and the process repeats itself. In my village alone, I know personally of at least 15 girls that have kids and no fathers are around, and suspect many more. In my daughters school, 80% of the kids have no dads that help support them.

[scorecard]

22 hours ago, BangkokReady said:

Yes, they seem to be conflating sex education, abuse and harassment, when they are different (although connected) things.

 

All are important to discuss, but they are not the same and would be better discussed separately.

Agree 100%.

[spidermike007]

Not sure how exclusive this is to Thailand, but many Thai parents seem to be completely lost, and the art of parenting seems to have died. Many kids are now behaving like monkeys in a circus. Completely out of control. And many own their parents, 100%. It is as if they are the parents, and the parents are the kids. A world gone upside down. 

[scorecard]

On 11/8/2021 at 8:45 AM, Orinoco said:

Uncles and brothers often help in this department. 

TIT.

 

 

Not sure about 'help', More like 'take advantage'.

[actonion]

Get regular  education right   before you start  on sex education.............I'm sure some of the high school kids can teach the  teachers on sex education 

[herfiehandbag]

On 11/8/2021 at 6:34 AM, ikke1959 said:

In my school I think there is no sex eduction at all. I only do 1 lesson a year for 6th grade for World Aids Day, and that is the most funny lesson of the year. The kids are very shy and even the Thai teachers get red ears if talk about aids and sex. But the kids they want to know more and more and they feel free to as everything , but after 3/4 of the hour is passed because it is totally new subject for them it seems.   

Even in the O net test there is a question what you should do if you feel horny with he right answer, go play football......just to mention what the sex education is in Thailand

M2 "Science in English" - it is covered in the first semester, I have just taught it.

 

I presume that it is in the Thai language syllabus as well.

[Sydebolle]

On 11/8/2021 at 8:06 AM, BangkokReady said:

Are you saying you think that the article claims explaining what sexual harassment is and how to avoid it means actually sexually harassing/abusing the children?  Otherwise, I don't understand your call for punishment of teachers for discussing sexual harassment.

If you teach how to "avoid sexually harassing/absing of children at school" ..........