UN Cannot Impose Comprehensive Sexuality Education On Us

Leading member of the governing New Patriotic Party, Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko has rejected what he describes as an attempt to impose Comprehensive Sexuality Education(CSE) on Ghana, questioning whether or not it is something Ghana desires, ABC News can report.

According to him, education is not meant to look down on the culture of a nation but meant to influence culture positively. He intimates that the United Nation should not be allowed to force the CSE on Ghana just because it is sponsoring it.

Mr Otchere-Darko averred that there is the need for a national consensus, adding that the state needs to carry parents along as long as the CSE is concerned.

“If the Sexuality education guidelines are unpopular, don’t fight it. Rethink. Education, generally, is not meant to go against the culture of a nation. It is meant to influence culture positively but not to fight it violently. On such matters, the state ought to carry parents along. We need a national consensus on this. It is not for the UN to impose something on us merely because they are funding it. Do we desire it as a people?” he asked.

The legal practitioner added that elsewhere there is brewing controversy about the subject hence Ghana needs to tread cautiously.

“Currently, in the UK there is a controversy brewing. Children as young as six are being taught about touching or ‘stimulating’ their own genitals as part of classes that will become compulsory in hundreds of primary schools. Yes! This is how far the madness can go. Some parents in Warwickshire County where it has been introduced, believe the lessons – part of a controversial new sex and relationships teaching programme called All About Me – are ‘sexualising’ their young children,” he wrote in a Facebook post, sighted by ABC News.

The new guidelines to be included in the curriculum has been divided into two parts – the first targeted at school pupils from ages 4-18 years and the second part designed for community-based education of adolescents and young adults from ages 6-24 years.

But the programme has been received with mixed reactions from a section of the public, dividing opinions including that of Civil Society Organisations and social commentators.

The Comprehensive Sexuality Education Guidelines indicate that the programme would enable pupils to acquire accurate and reliable information on sexual rights and reproductive health, develop skills for self-development and decision making, sense of self-confidence, assertiveness, ability to take responsibility, ask questions and seek help and empathy.

The programme will also seek to nurture positive attitudes and values including open-mindedness, respect for self and others, positive self-esteem, comfort, non-judgemental attitude and sense of responsibility concerning sexual and reproductive health issues.

Below is Gabby Asare Otchere-Darko’s post:

source: abcnewsgh