In a significant move to transform education in Kenya, the National Assembly has proposed a motion to introduce a new core subject focused on sex education. Jane Njeri Maina, the Krinyaga Woman Representative, presented the motion in Parliament on July 26, highlighting the need to address the current lack of comprehensive sex education, which is mostly limited to a few under-equipped community organizations.The motion titled “Introduction of Comprehensive Health Education as a Core Subject in Schools” aims to provide students with age-appropriate and comprehensive knowledge on this important yet sensitive topic. According to Maina, improving public health is a crucial responsibility of the government, and it’s essential to tackle pressing health issues faced by young people, such as inadequate knowledge about sexual health and protection against sexually transmitted infections.
The Parliament believes that making sex education a core subject in schools will enable young people to access vital healthcare information and services. Moreover, comprehensive sexual education is expected to promote moral values among the youth and reduce the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, ultimately lowering the incidence of teenage pregnancies and improving school attendance and retention.This initiative aligns with President William Ruto’s call to combat teenage pregnancies and female genital mutilation earlier in January 2023. The President pledged to eradicate FGM and support Woman Representatives in their efforts to champion women’s agendas.According to the Kenya Demographic and Health Survey 2022, teenage pregnancy in Kenya stood at 14 percent as of January 2023. Poverty and lack of education were cited as contributing factors to 4 out of 10 reported adolescent pregnancies among women aged between 15 and 19. Notably, certain regions, like Samburu, West Pokot, Marsabit, and Narok, reported higher rates of teen pregnancy compared to Nyeri and Nyandarua counties, which had lower rates.While the Parliament has taken this progressive step, the State Department of Basic Education is yet to respond to Njeri Maina’s motion. It’s worth noting that this proposal comes at a time when the government is revamping the Competency-Based Curriculum, with President William expected to announce the final amendments proposed by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform by the end of 2023.Under the current Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC) system, pupils study subjects like Mathematics, English, Kiswahili, Science and Technology, Social Studies, Home Science, and Arts and Craft. In the future, the government aims to have students specialize in three areas: Arts and Sport Science, Social Sciences, and Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).