In response to the petition started by 17 year old Madeleine Rowell for more comprehensive, age appropriate sex education across the country’s schools the Ministry of Education has sent out the following press release:

We thank and commend Madeleine Rowell and other students for raising an issue that is very important to young people and which concerns parents, teachers and the community.

The Ministry acknowledges the importance of making age appropriate provision for sex education and has established a policy for Government schools, which requires sex-education to be provided in high schools. The policy can be found on the Ministry website. It does not extend to private schools who are responsible for developing their own policies.

Clearly, students are interested in this topic since a large number have signed the petition. This indicates that we need to revisit the policy and the provision to make sure it is more closely aligned to student needs that inevitably change over time. Students have not previously been engaged in the formulation of the policy and provision. We will be actively engaging young people to assist us in the process, as well as drawing on the expertise of the Red Cross, the Department of Counselling Services and other relevant community stakeholders.

We recognise that there are many different views on sex education, and so parents may choose to have their children opt out of sex education in Government high schools.

We encourage private schools to review their provision for sex-education and consider adopting and implementing our policy.

The Sex and Relationship Education Policy can be found on our Ministry’s website by clicking on “Approved Education Policies”.

We have republished it here for your convenience:

Policy Name:  Sex and Relationship Education

Policy Code:   ED 14

Approved in: February 2013

Next Review in:        February 2016

Cross References:

This policy should be cross-referenced with the following: National Policy for Teaching and Learning

Guidance on developing a sex and relationship policy for schools

A Model School sex and relationship education policy

Handbook for Evaluation of Educational Provision – ESAU (2008) National Curriculum subject documents (2008)

National Curriculum overview (2007) SEN Code of Practice (2010)

INTRODUCTION:

The purpose of this policy is to define the expectations of the Ministry on how Government schools should develop, implement, monitor and evaluate policies on the teaching of sex and relationship education. These expectations reflect international best practice and are based on standards agreed by the Ministry.  Schools and other educational establishments can use the policy guidance to develop their own policy, which can be implemented with confidence.  It will also ensure that staff have the necessary advice and support to work firmly and fairly within the law.

AIMS:

This policy aims to

Specify the educational entitlement of all students to be taught about sex and relationships Specify the expectations for appropriate teaching and learning in sex and relationship education in the Cayman Islands

POLICY STATEMENT:

Sex education is not included in the primary school curriculum. Students will learn about the physical and emotional changes during puberty in Year 6 as required by the national curriculum for science. Primary School students will learn about appropriate relationships and contact, and about keeping safe as part of the Personal, Social and Moral learning curriculum.

All government secondary schools must provide sex and relationship education (including education about HIV and AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases) and must teach human growth and reproduction as set out in the national curriculum.

All government secondary schools must have a written statement of whatever policy they adopt on sex education and make it available free to parents. The statement must be drawn up in consultation with the Department of Education Services. The principal must ensure that any sex education is provided in a way that encourages students to consider morals and the value of family life. Schools must inform parents prior to scheduled programmes of sex and relationship education.

Parents have the right to withdraw their children from all or part of any sex education provided, but not from teaching the biological aspects of human growth and reproduction necessary under national curriculum for science.

Secondary schools’ sex education policies must include how they will teach the relevant science national curriculum topics, and how they will provide sex and relationship education as part of the Personal, Social and Moral learning curriculum.

Policies should be inclusive of all pupils.

Schools have a duty to ensure that students are protected from teaching and materials which are inappropriate, having regard to the age, religion and cultural background of the students concerned. Schools should also ensure that, within the context of talking about relationships, students should be taught about the nature of marriage and its value and importance for family life. Their sex education policy should contain a statement that a parent may request that a student is withdrawn from sex education.

ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

The Ministry of Education will

Develop educational policy and supporting guidance documents.

Support the implementation and maintenance of individual school policies on sex and relationship educations.

The Education Standards and Assessment Unit will

Evaluate the effectiveness of teaching and learning is sex and relationship education, using the criteria set out in the Handbook for the Evaluation of Educational Provision.

Make recommendations for improvement.

Provide accurate and timely information to the Ministry on the effectiveness and quality of sex and relationship education in order to inform policy decisions.

The Department of Education Services (School Improvement Officers) will

Provide required support to enable schools to meet improvement targets.

Support school leadership teams in evaluating statistics surrounding issues pertaining to sex and relationship education and, so that priorities for improvement can be identified.

School leaders will

Facilitate the development of their individual school’s sex and relationship education policy. Ensure the effective implementation of the school sex and relationship education policy and all other national educational policies.

Monitor and review provision and practice in their schools.

School staff will

Effectively implement the school’s sex and relationship education policy.

Use the Handbook for Evaluation of Educational Provision and the Ministry’s supporting guidance

documents to assist their planning and practice.

SCHOOL POLICIES ON SEX AND RELATIONSHIP EDUCATION

These must

Be based on the National Policy and the Ministry’s supporting guidance documents. Be developed collaboratively.

Take into account the indicators of good practice within the ESAU Handbook and the Ministry’ssupporting guidance documents.

Be approved by the Department of Education Services / School Improvement before implementation.

See also iNews Cayman Editorial and articles:

“The Editor Speaks: Why is there no sex education in our government schools?” published August 13 2013 at:

http://www.ieyenews.com/2013/08/the-editor-speaks-why-is-there-no-sex-education-in-our-government-schools/

and

“Petition to adopt a national sexual education curriculum in schools” published August 13 2013 at:

http://www.ieyenews.com/2013/08/petition-to-adopt-a-national-sexual-education-curriculum-in-schools/