Sex education in schools is considered necessary

Currently, students in schools receive lessons in sex education in various subjects but who have often had criticism that the same ones have been surpassed by teachers.

The director of the NGO coalition for child protection of KOMF, Donjeta Kelmendi, tells Kosovo that the subject of sexual education would also influence children to report sexual harassment or abuse.

The introduction of sex education in schools that would greatly contribute to improving the situation. However, in addition to introducing sex education in schools, there has to be a lot of work with children from very young age to prepare, get needed information, and know how to report forms of abuse”, she says.

She says that it is very important for children early in life to take in sex education, even adding that it has to happen since the children in pre - school institutions.

“The issue of sexual harassment or even forms of violence, including physical abuse, psychological abuse, sexual abuse and neglect, known as four major forms of violence, should be addressed in institutions, starting in pre-school institutions and then in other institutions of other education cycles. It is very important that from very early years in educational institutions be spoken openly with children and that children be educated in forms of abuse, over four forms of abuse. Children prepare themselves, equip themselves with necessary information on forms of violence, forms of abuse, including sexual harassment, not accepting them, never accept them and educate children, and be informed of ways of reporting forms of violence and meaning reporting these forms of violence”, she says.

Until the elimination of sexual harassment among school students, Kelmendi says that the presence of psychologists, sociologists and teachers in schools can play a big role, but that schools in Kosovo lack this professional framework.

Short - term psychologist Bajgora also says that it is very necessary for sexual education to become part of what students learn in schools.

Bygoras points out that if sexual education was not considered taboo and was freely discussed by teachers, students would receive vital information that would serve them throughout their lives.

Besides the family where students get their first information, the other safe source is school. Of course, if the school does not offer all the necessary information, then students are having a lack of information and this lack of information is now going and it's going through the negative phenomena that are being developed, and especially those that are being reported recently... as far as school and sexual education is concerned it is necessary to become a part of the curriculum, and not only as part of the biology subject or other substances that are already part of the plan because it specifically teaches children about the hormonal changes that are being experienced by their bodies, which they may not know, what is happening with good hygiene and healthy relationships. All of these had been able to cover up with such a substance, which is unfortunately not yet part of the Kosovo” programme, she says.

In addition to learning sexual education, sociologist Besnik Peci says that students should have moral and religious subjects.

There are two subjects that I think have a direct bearing on building real personalities among our children, is moral and religious education, and within the Civil Education to do specific importance to sexual education. It teaches a long chapter, depending on the age of children, to treat that problem in the most appropriate way, so that it is not taboo, but also conform children's age to get the necessary information on how they protect them from such acts”, he says in a written reply.

Recent days in Kosovo, protests have been held to counter sexual harassment among students in schools, where the introduction of sex education is required in schools.