Now, sex education to be part of all BMC schools in Mumbai

Sex education and awareness about sexual violence for adolescents at the school level is considered crucial in today’s day and age.  However, in Mumbai, it is mainly private schools that feature a module on sex education. But a new order by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) aims to ensure that all adolescents in the city  have access to basic sex education and are aware about all aspects. [caption id=“attachment_2445488” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] Starting from the next academic year, civic schools in Mumbai will have sex education as part of the curriculum, according to a report by The Indian Express. The BMC will conduct the course with the help of the Mumbai District AIDS Control Society (MDACS), continues the report. The course on sex education will be conducted for the students of Std VIII to X in all BMC schools from 2016, says a Mumbai Mirror report. This means that all BMC affiliated schools, including Hindi and Marathi medium, will focus on sex education, which will help in raising awareness about sex and related issues among Mumbai’s youth. This module has been introduced after Shiv Sena corporator Sheetal Mhatre raised the order in the education committee. “I came across many stories of girls becoming pregnant at the age of 13 and 14 in the city. Most of these girls are also from economically backward sections of the society. Children in their mid-teens are very impressionable and need to be educated about sex before they step into college,” said Mhatre, a corporator from Dahisar, is quoted as saying by  The Indian Express.