Updated sex education classes compulsory for Leaving Cert students

Students in the final two years of secondary school are set to learn about the potential impacts of pornography, the importance of consensual sex and recognising abusive and toxic relationships under the new SPHE syllabus.

Proposals for the new programme will undergo a public consultation, with the goal to have a finalised curriculum in place across all post-primary schools by September of next year.

The existing SPHE framework is currently only present in under 20% of schools. The new syllabus is set to be compulsory for both 5^th and 6^th year students across Ireland.

The National Council for Curriculum and Assessment stated the changes are "inclusive of all genders, sexualities, ethnicities, religious beliefs, social classes and abilities/disabilities".

The programme’s introduction comes from "growing evidence of the challenges that young people in Ireland face as they navigate growing up today, ” said the NCCA, “coupled with evidence of the important role that school-based health education programmes can play in supporting young people's well-being".

Minister for Education Norma Foley
Credit - Merrion Street

The revamp will have three main components.

The first is Health and Well-being, with a primary focus on students' physical and mental health.

Relationships and Sexuality, aims to teach how to create and maintain loving and healthy relationships.

The third and final element, Into Adulthood, encourages students to develop a stronger  understanding of their legal right, responsibilities and how to be an ally for others suffering from inequality or discrimination.

Students will also be asked to discuss how pornography impacts attitudes, behaviours and expectations in relationships.

They will additionally be encouraged (where possible) to discuss image-based abuse, harassment, sexual assault and rape and what they should/would do if they or someone they knew was involved in any of these instances.

Public consultation on the programme will continue until October. Parents will have the right to withdraw their children from class if they do not agree with the content of updated sex education programmes at primary and second level, Minister for Education Norma Foley has said.