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Tuesday May 30th, 2023

Sex Education is OK but must be ‘culturally sensitive’

ECONOMYNEXT – The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Women and Gender met Tuesday (21) in parliament to discuss the ‘Hathe Ape Potha,’ a sex education textbook given to the grade seven students which has aroused much controversy.

The discussion involved many experts including health sector professionals, Education and Health Ministry representatives and the Buddhist clergy and opinions in favour of the book and those opposing the book were taken into consideration.

The parties who mainly opposed the content of the book said it was inappropriate for twelve-year-old readers to discuss masturbation.

Senior Lecturer of the University of Peradeniya, in psychiatry Dr Pabasari Ginige explained the need for improving sex education in Sri Lanka.

According to statistics obtained at a psychology clinic conducted at Peradeniya Teaching Hospital between the years 1984 and 2001, Ginige said that 94 per cent of children who faced sexual harassment have been assaulted by the people they knew.

“Within the considered period a total of 84 children have been sexually harassed and out of them, 73.5 percent of the children were over 11 years and 16.9 per cent were between the ages six to ten. Importantly, 9.6 per cent of them was below six years,” Ginige said.

Dr Ginige pointed out that the content regarding masturbation should not be something to fuss about.

“If it is in accordance with the syllabus, I am of the opinion that those two sentences shouldn’t be a problem. I’ve met many adults who come to the clinics who believed that masturbating is a sin. It shouldn’t be like that because it is a normal process with the hormonal changes. Children should not, therefore, think it is a wrong thing to do. So I think we have to improve sex education in our country in a culturally sensitive manner,” Dr Ginige said.

However, Dr Wasantha Bandara who represented national organizations said that the book is a ‘reckless’ piece of work and said that national standards should be made before preparing such a book.

“It is internationally accepted that standards should be made before preparing material about sex education. The cultural aspects should be considered important. We don’t refuse sex education but when we include certain content we should keep in mind that those don’t appear to be prejudicial. If one monk does something wrong, nowadays there is a trend to generalize that to all the monks. Therefore, we request to create proper standards and policies before creating such a book,” Bandara said.

Prof Medagoda Abhayatissa Thero, who recently criticised the ‘Hathe Ape Potha’ too, shared his opinion at the discussion.

“It seemed to me that although this book was meant to provide sex education, it encourages sexual stimulation. I don’t say that sex education is not necessary but the book is age-inappropriate. Certain content of the book normalizes the unusual behaviour of those who are too matured for their age,” he said.

However, addressing the discussion, Chancellor of University of Ruhuna Dr Akuratiye Nanda Thero said that he is of the opinion that the book does not contain anything inappropriate.

The Committee finally decided to direct the Education Ministry to submit a comprehensive report regarding the ‘Hathe Ape Potha’ and then decide regarding the distribution of book among the students. (Colombo, 22 January 2020)

Comments (3)

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  1. Moiez says:

    Nowadays all the children know about sex,there is no need for a syllabus to teach them, as everyone has got phone in their hands so they find out from internet, even a small child knows what’s sex now.

    1. Nilmini says:

      Actually I think this means that there is an even greater need for sex education. Not all the information regarding sex in the internet is accurate, neither is it entirely safe. Children don’t know enough about sex to know what websites are trustworthy sources and which are not. Additionally, most end up learning about sex from porn sites and these can have an extremely harmful effect on children and they’re understanding of their own bodies and sexual activities. It is far better that they are provided with sex education in schools.

  2. Lion Perera says:

    I read the book in its entirety. I am well versed in the language of Sinhalese. I started reading the book battling the presumption that the opposition directed came from dogmatic religious bias. I reached a different conclusion by the time I was less than halfway through the book. The contents are just, and serves well the Sri Lankan young. HOWEVER, the informal language in the book pulls the message to a zone somewhere in between sinister and perversion. This sort of writing has no place for it to be in casual or conversational language. Keep this sort of thing formal – Get a writer to do the job. That’s all.

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Comments (3)

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Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

  1. Moiez says:

    Nowadays all the children know about sex,there is no need for a syllabus to teach them, as everyone has got phone in their hands so they find out from internet, even a small child knows what’s sex now.

    1. Nilmini says:

      Actually I think this means that there is an even greater need for sex education. Not all the information regarding sex in the internet is accurate, neither is it entirely safe. Children don’t know enough about sex to know what websites are trustworthy sources and which are not. Additionally, most end up learning about sex from porn sites and these can have an extremely harmful effect on children and they’re understanding of their own bodies and sexual activities. It is far better that they are provided with sex education in schools.

  2. Lion Perera says:

    I read the book in its entirety. I am well versed in the language of Sinhalese. I started reading the book battling the presumption that the opposition directed came from dogmatic religious bias. I reached a different conclusion by the time I was less than halfway through the book. The contents are just, and serves well the Sri Lankan young. HOWEVER, the informal language in the book pulls the message to a zone somewhere in between sinister and perversion. This sort of writing has no place for it to be in casual or conversational language. Keep this sort of thing formal – Get a writer to do the job. That’s all.

Sri Lanka food producers on countdown; 6-months to reduce trans fat content

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lankan food manufacturers only have another six months to reduce the amount of trans fat in food items as the government plans to ban high trans-fat food from January 2024 onwards, an official said.

“A six-month grace period has been given to existing manufacturers, sellers and distributors whose products contain trans-fat,” an official of the Ministry of Health told EconomyNext requesting anonymity.

According to a Ministry of Health gazette issued on… a person shall not sell, offer for sale, expose or keep for sale or advertise for sale, any packaged food product containing trans-fat unless the total amount of trans-fat of such food product per 100 grams or 100 milliliters of the food product is declared on the label of such packaged food product.

However, these regulations will not be applicable for export oriented food products.

Trans-fat is a type of fat that has certain chemical properties and is usually found in processed foods such as baked goods, snack foods, fried foods, shortening, margarine, and certain vegetable oils.

Eating trans-fat increases blood cholesterol levels and the risk of heart disease.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organization (WHO) has praised Sri Lanka for enacting a legislation on trans-fat to protect health and prevent premature deaths from coronary heart disease, a statement from the WHO said.

“Eliminating trans-fats from food supplies is a cost-effective measure with enormous health benefits,” the statement quoting Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, WHO South-East Asia said.

“By enacting legislation on trans-fat, Sri Lanka has once again demonstrated its resolve to protect and promote the health of its people”.

The regulations are coming into effect as Sri Lanka is struggling with food insecurity as the country recovers from its worst economic crisis.

However, an improvement in food security across all provinces has been recorded, according to an assessment by a Crop and Food Security Assessment Mission (CFSAM) of two UN agencies. (Colombo/ May 30/2023)

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India extends under utilized $1 bln credit facility to Sri Lanka by one year 

ECONOMYNEXT – India has extended a $1 billion credit facility to Sri Lanka by another year after the loan that was given to help the crisis-hit island nation to continue import of essentials was not fully utilized in the 12 month period originally agreed, officials said.

Sri Lanka faced with a looming sovereign default signed the credit facility in March 2022 for one year through March 2024. However, the full $1 billion had not been utilized yet.

The Facility has been used for urgent procurement of fuel, medicines, food items and industrial raw materials, as per the requirements and priorities of Sri Lanka.

“The initial agreement was signed in 2022 March and out of the 1000 million US dollars allocated materials were imported for $576.75 mil,” Shehan Semasinghe, State Finance Minister said in his official twitter platform.

“The agreement is extended for the remaining $423.25 mil. We will prioritize the import of essential medicines till March 2024.”

Indian High Commission in Colombo said the State Bank of India (SBI) has extended the tenure of the $1 billion Credit Facility provided to Sri Lanka in response to a request from the Government of Sri Lanka.  (Colombo/May 30/2023)

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Sri Lanka President cleared to discuss cancelled LRT after soured Japan relations

ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s Cabinet of Ministers approved a proposal by President Ranil Wickremesinghe discuss resuming a Japan funded. Light Rail Transit (LRT) project cabinet spokesman said, as the island nation is in the process of mending ties with Tokyo.

However, any such deals are likely to take place after the debt restructuring and Sri Lanka starts to repay its foreign loans to come out of default, analysts say.

Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa unilaterally cancelled the 1.5 billion US dollar LRT and East Container Terminal (ECT) projects in 2021. Japan agreed to fund the LRT project while it was one of the tripartite members of the ECT project along with India and Sri Lanka.

The abrupt cancellation hit the diplomatic ties between the two countries and Sri Lankan government officials have said Japan had given the project to Sri Lanka at a very lower financing cost.

President Wickremesinghe returned from Japan late last week after having met top officials of the Japanese government including its prime minister.

“In recent history, due to the stopping of several agreements and proposals suddenly, President Wickremesinghe went to Japan after creating the background to clear some of the worries we have,” Cabinet Spokesman Bandula Gunawardena told the weekly media briefing.

“Before he went, he got the approval from the cabinet to resume the discussion on the light railway project. He got the approval from the cabinet to get parliament approval for bilateral agreements signed or any other investments project. Any change or cancellation of a project could be done only with the approval of the parliament.”

Japan has backed Sri Lanka under Wickremesinghe’s presidency after the island nation declared sovereign debt default. (Colombo/May 30/2023)

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