Call to scrap sex education plan

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Schools minister Jim Knight recently looked at the subject to combat concerns that sex education in schools is too patchy. He is to present his findings to MPs.

Last week Mr Knight said he had received "strong recommendations" for making sex education compulsory in all schools but it should be done without "sexualising young people too early".

According to the proposals, children of primary age will be given basic education on the subject which will become more detailed as the child moves up through school.

Stephen Green, national director of Christian Voice, said the proposals would only "encourage experimentation" and contribute to the rise in teenage pregnancy and infertility. He said the idea of teaching young children about sex is "a wickedness" from a Government that wants to see "a whole generation fornicating".

When asked if he thought sex education should be taught to children of any age in school, he said: "I believe sex education should come from the family and should emphasise chastity. A child should stay a virgin and marry a virgin to have a better chance of having children."

Mr Green added that the Government should be ready to face problems if teaching primary children sex education is made compulsory.

Dr Trevor Stammers, a GP and lecturer in healthcare ethics, said the move would not combat the number of teenage pregnancies and sexually-transmitted infections if it is "valueless" and does not discuss relationships surrounding sex.

He said he agreed that teaching children about sex in school was not a problem as long as it is backed up by parental input and taught at the right age. He said teenage pregnancy and abortion rates in the Netherlands, Italy and Spain are much lower because "parents and children talk to each other".

Under current rules, schoolchildren must be taught the biological facts of reproduction, which usually happens in science classes. Every school must have a sex education policy, but there is no statutory requirement for teaching about relationships and the social and emotional side of sexual behaviour.