Three associations are suing the State to obtain more sessions. In fact, many students go through their entire schooling without benefiting from a single course.
There are not enough sex education courses at school according to three associations. SOS Homophobia, Sidaction and Family Planning are suing the State to force it to organize these courses each year, which are compulsory at school. “If it is to be a national priority, establishments must be given the necessary means”estimates Thursday, March 2 on franceinfo Audrey Chanonat, national secretary of the National Union of National Education Management Staff (SNPDEN).
1 What does the law provide?
Since 2001, the Education Code has provided for at least three sexuality education sessions per year in schools, colleges and high schools with pupils gathered by “groups of homogeneous age”. In primary school, for example, the themes addressed must be the study of and respect for the body, equality between girls and boys. In colleges and high schools, the three annual sessions led by teachers or outside speakers must raise awareness of sexist or sexual violence. They must warn about prejudices or cyberbullying. Violence against women and violence committed within the couple must also be addressed at all stages of schooling.
Some specific points should be discussed with slightly older students, such as contraception or the risks associated with STIs and sexually transmitted infections. The Education Code also provides once a year for the consequences of alcohol consumption by pregnant women to be addressed in colleges and high schools. Since 2016, middle and high school students must also be informed about the realities of prostitution and the dangers of the commodification of the body.
2 Are these courses offered?
In fact, these courses almost never take place. This is shown in a report by the General Inspectorate of Education, Sport and Research, published in 2021. According to this survey, less than 15% of students benefit from three sexuality education sessions during school. school year in elementary and high school, less than 20% in college. A majority of students go through their entire schooling without having benefited from a single session.
However, schools, and colleges in particular, “try to put in place everything necessary to meet both the demand for programs and training expectations”assures Audrey Chanonat, national secretary of the National Union of National Education Management Staff (SNPDEN) Thursday on franceinfo. “The problem is that it is very complicated for schools to respond to all the requests that are made, to the proliferation of missions that we are experiencing, she adds, If it is to be a national priority, establishments must be given the necessary means.
It’s necessary “leave time to train teachers and then give us the opportunity to have time to devote ourselves to a few essential missions”. Audrey Chanonat underlines in particular the “difficulty of being simultaneously on sexuality education, civic education, artistic and cultural education, health education”.
“We put in place a very large number of educational actions except that at some point, as we have to act on all levels, we cannot focus on one or two objectives.”
Audrey Chanonat, national secretary of the SNPDENat franceinfo
3 What does the Ministry of National Education answer?
The ministry recognizes that few sex education courses are taught in schools. A circular was published at the start of the last school year and we can read that the effectiveness of these sessions is “very uneven for several years”. The document calls on school principals and heads of establishments to set up, as of now, the three sexuality education courses per year. “We have to obey the law”estimated last September Pap Ndiaye, the Minister of National Education.