The Karnataka government proposes to introduce sex education for students in classes 8 to 12 through two mandatory sessions per week while making moral education compulsory for students in classes 1 to 10. The government is also planning education in cyber hygiene to prevent digital addiction among schoolchildren.
By medical practitioners
During the sex education classes, medical practitioners will interact with children on natural mental and emotional developments, hormonal changes and their impact on physical and emotional development and ways to address them, School Education and Literacy Minister Madhu Bangarappa said in a written reply in the Legislative Council. Counselling twice a year by psychologists has been proposed to tackle issues like emotional confusion and anxiety, he added.
The Minister’s response came after a discussion on the problems of adolescent children and solutions to them. Mr. Bangarappa spoke on the need for cyber hygiene among children to prevent digital addiction, sexual activity at an inappropriate age, and teenage pregnancy. He has also listed the government’s efforts to create awareness about the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.
Moral education
He said moral education would be introduced from the next academic year onwards based on suggestions of the expert committee. “I will discuss this with Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and make a formal announcement,” he said. Two compulsory moral education classes a week will be introduced for students between classes 1 and 10 during which lessons on truth, integrity, hard work, sacrifice, patience, self-reliance, concentration, humility, among other values would be imparted.
Published – March 19, 2025 11:32 pm IST