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MOE Sexuality Education in Schools

Sexuality Education (SEd) in schools is about enabling students to understand  the physiological, social and emotional changes they experience as they mature,  develop healthy and rewarding relationships including those with members of the opposite sex, and make wise, informed and responsible decisions on sexuality  matters in their growing up years. It is taught in the context of values which our  mainstream society believes in – the importance of the family as the basic unit of society, encouraging healthy, heterosexual marriages, and respect for the values and beliefs of the different ethnic and religious communities on sexuality issues.

Sexuality Education focuses on the development of adolescents' values, and social  and emotional competencies required to make responsible decisions regarding  sexual behaviours and to build rewarding relationships based on love and respect which are the foundation for strong families. 

It is also named Sexuality Education  (rather than Sex Education) to emphasise the holistic approach which includes the  emotional, social, intellectual and ethical aspects, in addition to the physical aspect of  sex.

Sexuality Education covers the following dimensions of a person's sexuality:

Physical: Physical sexual maturation and intimacy, the physiology of sex and human reproduction
Emotional: Sexual attitudes and feelings towards self and others;
Social: Sexual norms and behaviour and their legal, cultural and societal implications; and
Ethical: Values and moral systems related to sexuality.​

The three goals of Sexuality Education are:
  1. To help students make wise, responsible and informed decisions through the provision of accurate, current and age-appropriate knowledge on human sexuality and the consequences of sexual activity;

  2. To help students know themselves and build healthy and rewarding relationships through the acquisition of social and emotional skills of self-awareness, management of their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, development of empathy for others, possession of effective communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills; and 

  3. To help students develop a moral compass, respect for themselves and for others as sexual beings, premised on the heterosexual  married couple forming a nuclear family as the basic unit of society, through the inculcation of positive mainstream values and attitudes about sexuality.

The four key messages of Sexuality Education are:
  • Love and respect yourself as you love and respect others;
  • Build positive relationships based on love and respect (which are the foundation for strong families);
  • Make responsible decisions for yourself, your family and society, and
  • Abstinence before marriage is the best protection against STIs/HIV and unwanted pregnancies. Casual sex can harm and hurt you and your loved ones.

The key guiding principles of Sexuality Education are:

Home
Parents play the primary role in the sexuality education of their children.  As such, they are responsible for the teaching and transmission of  values on sex and sexuality. Recognising that parents have a key role  in the sexuality education of their children, they can exercise their  choice to opt their children out of the school’s sexuality education programme;

School

The teaching of knowledge and skills is integrated with the teaching of  values which reflect that of Singapore’s mainstream society, to help  students make wise, informed and responsible decisions on sexuality  matters. 

In accordance with our national values, Sexuality Education is  premised on the family as the basic unit of society. This means encouraging healthy, heterosexual marriages and building stable  nuclear family units with extended family support.

Only specially-selected teachers are trained to teach Sexuality  Education. These teachers are selected because they:

  • believe in the importance of sexuality education for students;
  • possess values that are aligned with MOE values in Sexuality  Education;
  • are comfortable discussing sexuality issues; and
  • have healthy rapport with students and possess good facilitation  skills.

Community
  • In recognition of our multi-racial and multi-religious society, students  and teachers will respect the different attitudes, values and beliefs  regarding sexuality that these different communities may have; and
  • Relevant resources in the community that are in alignment with MOE  Sexuality Education Framework and Implementation Guidelines may be  brought in to supplement schools' sexuality education programmes  where needed

More information can be accessed through the MOE website here

Overview of Sexuality Education Coverage in CCE Lessons

The MOE Sexuality Education Curriculum adopts a cross curricular approach. It is delivered through the school curriculum viz. Science, CCE Form Teacher Guidance Period (at Primary 1 to 4), and Character and Citizenship Education (at Secondary level).  The Sexuality Education (SEd) lessons and the eTeens Programme, which are complementary, are staple Sexuality Education Programmes conducted under the ambit of Character and Citizenship Education (CCE).

Themes in the Sexuality Education Curriculum: 

  • Human Development
  • Interpersonal Relationships
  • Sexual Health
  • Sexual Behaviour
  • Culture, Society and Law

eTeens: Sexuality Education Programme in Schools 

Complementing the Sexuality Education CCE lessons is the eTeens programme for Sec 3 students. This programme, jointly developed by the Health Promotion Board, in collaboration with MOE, caters to emerging trends and students’ developmental needs. As "an STIs/HIV" prevention programme, it aims to provide students with accurate knowledge about "STIs/HIV", teaches protection from a health perspective and equips students with life skills to say “no” to pre-marital sex. The desired outcome of the eTeens programme is that students are empowered to make wise, informed and sensible decisions.

Implementation of Sexuality Education (SEd) Lessons and eTeens Programme

MOE Sexuality Education programmes, which comprise SEd lessons and eTeens are to be implemented as part of the CCE curriculum. SEd lessons are for Year 1-4 students; e-Teens is for Year 3. eTeens is implemented as a Mass Talk segment is to be conducted by approved external providers. Only specially-selected MOE staff and MOE-SEd trained teachers are  deployed to teach SEd lessons and the class-based lesson of the eTeens programme (Secondary)

At RAFFLES GIRLS’ SCHOOL (SECONDARY), the following lessons from the Sexuality Education Programme will be  taught in 2023

Secondary 1 (Year 1) CCE 2023 Theme: Making Choices

Unit

Lesson(s)/Duration

Key Learning Objectives

Time Period

Respectful Relationships and Safety

Steady or Not
Lesson 1
(60 mins)

  • Recognise the importance of monitoring and managing our emotional reactions in helpful ways that are reflective of our values and principles
  • Understand the importance of healthy and supportive relationships
  • Recognise that there are different forms of love (e.g. familial, platonic, romantic love)
  • Recognise the importance and understand what builds healthy and supportive relationships, both online and offline
  • Understand what dating is, and recognise that the readiness and interest in dating vary among individuals Sexting and PDA

Term 3 

Being Aware, Being Safe
Lesson 2 
(60 mins)

Understand that physical and psychological abuse from others, especially those we know and trust, can have strong negative effects on a person's self-concept

Term 3 

More than Meets the Eye
Lesson 3  
(60 mins)

  • Understand and accept that as we work towards becoming our best self, there will be times when we make mistakes, and recognise the importance of exercising moral courage in facing up to consequences
  • Recognise that there are moral and legal consequences of risky sexual behaviours, pornography access and acting irresponsibly or maliciously when online (e.g. spreading of online falsehoods, flouting copyright laws etc.)

Term 3 



















Secondary 2 (Year 2) CCE 2023 Theme: Making Choices

Unit

Lesson(s)/Duration

Key Learning Objectives

Time Period

Respectful Relationships
and Safety
 
A Role for Everyone 
Lesson 1
(60 mins) 
  • Know that one’s understanding of gender roles should not be limited by gender stereotypes
  • Develop an appreciation of one’s own unique qualities and characteristics as a male or female
  • Understand what sexual orientation entails
Term 3
 

Respectful Relationships and Safety

Online Safety Challenge 
Lesson 2A
(60 mins)

  • Recognise one’s vulnerability to risky situations and the importance of exercising discretion to reduce risks and avoid negative consequences, both online and offline

Term 3 

Do I or Don't I
Lesson 2B
(60 mins)

  • Recognise the importance of self-respect and respect for others in relating to members of the opposite gender
  • Recognise one's vulnerability to risky situations and the importance of exercising discretion to reduce risks and avoid negative consequences, both offline and online

Term 3














Secondary 3 (Year 3) CCE 2023 Theme: Making Choices

Unit

Lesson(s)/Duration

Key Learning Objectives

Time Period

Respectful Relationships and Safety

Love Yourself, Love Others
Lesson 1A 
(60 mins)

  • Know that self-perception and identity have an impact on our self-esteem and how we interact with others and the choices we make, both online and offline
  • Understand that expectations of oneself and others may differ and can affect one's emotions, thoughts and behaviours
  • Recognise what healthy dating relationships involve and know that readiness is important when entering into a dating relationship

Term 3 

Mending A Broken Heart
Lesson 1B
(60 mins) 
  • Know that relationship-building involves personal emotions and vulnerabilities, and changes and challenges
  • Know that a decision to end a relationship will have consequences on oneself and others
  • Know that grief and loss due to rejections and broken relationships is normal and one can recover from the experience
  • Know that there are healthy ways of coping with broken relationships, and family and friends are important pillars of support

Term 3 

Respectful Relationships and Safety Love Yourself, Love Others
Lesson 2
(60 mins) 

When Respect Takes Centre Stage

  • Recognise the importance of being informed of social and moral issues of the day and the need to reflect on these issues, and weigh them against our own moral standpoints as we form our perspectives about them.
  • Understand that we strengthen our character when we commit to sound values-based viewpoints (e.g. respect for life) and decisions, and speak and act in alignment with our beliefs.
 
Term 3 






















Secondary 4 (Year 4) CCE 2023 Theme: Making Choices

Unit

Lesson(s)/Duration

Key Learning Objectives

Time Period

Respectful Relationships and Safety

Levelling the Ground
Lesson 1
(60 mins)

  • Understand that the value of a person is not tied to one's gender and not conforming to gender stereotypes does not negate one's gender identity.
  • Understand what gender stereotypes comprise (e.g. notions of masculinity and femininity vary over time and space, and are shaped by societal expectations).
  • Know that imposing gender stereotypes on oneself and other can limit one's experiences, cause harm to the self-esteem of oneself and other and should be avoided.

Term 2 

When Love Hurts
Lesson 2
(60 mins)

  • Know there are healthy ways of coping with broken relationships, and family and friends are important pillars of support.
  • Recognise emotions caused by traumatic situations (e.g. bullying, abuse and dating violence) and understand the physiological and psychological, social impact on victims.
  • Understand that we need more moral courage and wisdom to recognise and end relationships that are unhealthy and cause harm to our mental and emotional well-being.
  • Understand the importance of ensuring that non-verbal messages match with verbal ones, when communicating personal and emotional boundaries in a relationship.

Term 2 

For Better or For Worse
Lesson 3
(60 mins)

  • Know that long-term romantic relationships leading to marriage involve understanding oneself and others in the intellectual, emotional and social and moral dimensions
  • Know that marriage entails a union between a man and a woman based on love, trust, commitment, and requires mutual effort
  • Understand that conflicts are normal in any relationship, including marriage, and the way in which a couple handles conflict is critical to the success of their marriage

Term 2 

Respectful Relationships and Safety   

There's Always More to a Story
Lesson 4
(60 mins)
 
  • Understand that we strengthen our character when we commit to sound values-based viewpoints (e.g. respect for life) and decisions, and speak and act in alignment with our beliefs
 
Term 2 

























Empowered Teens (eTeens) Implementation

eTeens programme is a school-based STI (Sexually Transmitted Infections)/HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) prevention programme developed by Health Promotion Board, in collaboration with MOE for Secondary 3 students. It comprises of a talk and 1 classroom-based lesson. 

Students are taught skills such as decision-making, assertiveness and negotiation to say “no” to sex and negative peer pressure. They also learn that the impact of STIs/HIV extends beyond themselves and involves their family. Abstinence and upholding family values are the key messages. The desired outcome of the eTeens programme is that students are empowered to make wise, informed and sensible decisions.

At RAFFLES GIRLS' SCHOOL (SECONDARY) , the eTeens programme will be implemented as follows in 2023:

Topics/Lessons

Programme Learning Objectives

Time Period

Mass Talk by HPB-appointed Vendor

  • Awareness of the different STIs and HIV/AIDS
  • Modes of transmission
  • Modes of protection, specifically on how the condom is used
  • Consequences and impact of STIs/HIV

Term 3 Week 5

Classroom-based Lesson

  • Learn to negotiate their way out of a risky situation by applying skills of assertiveness and responsible decision-making

Term 3 Week 6








Information for Parents

  1. Parents may opt their children out of the Sexuality Education lessons or eTeens programmes by MOE-approved external providers.

  2. Parents who wish to opt their children out of the Sexuality Education lessons need to complete an opt-out form. This form will be sent to parents via the Parents Gateway at the start of the year. The completed form is to be submitted by 31 March 2023 (all levels).

  3. Y3 parents who wish to opt their children out of the eTeens programme need to complete an opt-out form. This form will be sent to parents via the Parents Gateway at the start of the year. Parents are to respond by 31 March 2023 (Year 3).

  4. Parents can contact the school at rgss@moe.edu.sg or call 6737 1845 for discussion or to seek clarification about the school’s sexuality education programme.

  5. Parents who wish to attend the school sexuality education programmes should contact the school to make the necessary arrangements.