Are Safe Sex Classes the Way Forward?

Contrary to our parents’ estranged beliefs, sex is a natural thing and trying to pretend that it is not happening does not make it go away.

People are having sex left, right and centre from a very young age, so it becomes more important to equip them with the right information—information that will enable them to make the right choices when it comes to sex. If you’ve been keeping up with Shuga Radio Naija, you will remember Miss Uju introduced the Safe Sex Club to Chikota Grammar School in episode 2, with some backlash from the ‘old-skool’ Mrs Balogun and a bit of resistance from some of the students.

Some of you might feel embarrassed about discussing something so intimate, especially with a teacher; however, over time, such discussions can start to feel less rigid and cringe worthy. Also, if you’re not able to talk about sex openly, it begs the question, are you really ready to have sex? Not having adequate information could actually put your health at risk.

Safe sex classes are there to ensure that people get the right information. There is a lot of false hear-say and misleading sites on the internet that could misguide people, so these classes are a way to make sure such myths are debunked.

In a perfect world, sex education would come from home as well as in school, but as that’s not always an option, schools should provide adequate sex education—not scare tactics— and give students the facts and practical advice.

If sex was talked about more in Nigerian schools and with parents, the level of HIV transmission and teenage pregnancy could ultimately be controlled. If Roli had attended the classes or at least seeked advice, she could have saved herself from being at risk of HIV, STIs, and pregnancy.

Do you think safe sex classes should be taught throughout schools?