DepEd urged to defer sexuality education implementation

The Department of Education (DepEd) has been urged to temporarily suspend the implementation of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) under Department Order (DO) 31 due to what lawmakers described as "confusing policies."

During a Senate hearing on the implementation of DO 31, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian highlighted that the current CSE framework diverged from the intent of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, which serves as the legal basis for the department order.

Gatchalian raised concerns about the policy's provision stating it "shall apply to all learners," while identifying adolescents as those aged 10 and above. 

DepEd Undersecretary Filemon Ray Javier clarified that students below 10 years old receive only "foundational knowledge" and not formal sex education.

Furthermore, Gatchalian questioned the "leeway" given to teachers under DO 31 to teach "general terms" and concepts. In response, DepEd Assistant Secretary Janir Datukan explained that the department had prescribed materials for CSE, endorsed during teacher training.

When asked if teachers could use UNESCO's technical guide on CSE, Datukan replied, "They can use it as a reference, but they have to adapt it to our circumstances here."

Opposition to Senate Bill 1979, the Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Bill, has also emerged due to concerns that its CSE provisions would be "guided by international standards," interpreted to mean frameworks from the WHO and UNESCO.

Gatchalian cited the UNESCO guide, which introduces concepts such as enjoying one's body and understanding physical pleasure to children aged five to eight years old.

"Na-train ba sila that they should be culturally sensitive, and this type of materials should not be taught in our classrooms?" Gatchalian asked.

Datukan assured the senator that UNESCO guidelines were not entirely adopted, and this was emphasized during teacher training. 

However, Gatchalian expressed frustration over the disconnect between policy and implementation, noting that DO 31 mandated CSE from kindergarten to Grade 12.

"Nakita mo yung disconnect? Because I'm trying to understand the teacher… the teacher now is given leeway to use reference materials, as you said earlier, and part of the reference materials identified is the UNESCO technical guide. But the UNESCO technical guide, ito ang gusto niyang ituro sa mga kindergarten students natin," Gatchalian said.

He maintained that confusion persists in implementing CSE and called for its suspension until the policy is clarified.

"We understand it is up to the teacher to be culturally sensitive. So training is very important and clarity from policy is very important. Because if you are confused from the top, rest assured, that the teacher will also be confused because they are the ones tasked to implement all the way to our last classroom in our country," he said.

"If this is a source of confusion, then let's suspend it for now until we fix it and we make sure that it's clear from the policymakers and stay faithful to the RH Law because like I said earlier... that is the legal basis and let's stay faithful to that," he noted.

Temporary suspension

In an ambush interview, DepEd Secretary Sonny Angara expressed openness to Gatchalian's suggestion.

"I think we can do a temporary suspension while we are reviewing it. Permanent, we cannot. That's the mandate of the law. But certainly, to correct certain flaws pointed out by the legislators, to ensure na age-appropriate nga siya, maybe we can do that. Kaunting corrections, tweaking," Angara told reporters.

While Angara said he was unaware of any confusion among teachers implementing CSE, he acknowledged the concerns as "valid."

Last week, Angara announced that the implementation of CSE under DO 31 would undergo a thorough review. — DVM, GMA Integrtated News