Muslim leaders hit sex education in ARMM

Legislators of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) lambasted the planned pilot testing in the region’s schools of the sex education module of the Department of Education (DepEd), which they deemed as a “unilateral imposition on the people of the Muslim autonomous region.” Officials and members of the ARMM’s Regional Legislative Assembly (RLA) said they will be rallying behind the religious sector’s opposition, led by the Catholic Church, to the introduction of sex education in Grades five and six classes as planned by the Education department pursuant to the United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) campaign against population explosion.

Cultural considerations

Assemblyman Ziaur-rahman Alonto-Adiong on Sunday said “the RLA is very much in opposition to the planned program because its modules [as well as its supposed benefits to the ARMM people] are still unknown.”

Adiong said the program’s proponents “should be [considerate of] the Muslims’ religious belief and cultural traditions.” The assemblyman noted that people in the ARMM are sensitive to discussions about sex especially among minors.

The UNFPA project will be pilot-tested this school year in grade five and six classes as well as in high schools in Olongapo City, Ifugao, Mountain Province, Masbate, Bohol, Eastern Samar, Sultan Kudarat,Maguin-danao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi. The last three provinces are component provinces of the ARMM.

The sex education lessons will deal with the reproductive system, proper peer behavior, personal hygiene and problems of unwanted pregnancy, according to Education department reports.

DepEd claims Church support

Earlier, Education Secretary Mona Valisno told reporters in a news conference that some Church leaders like Bishop Deogracias Iñiguez of Caloocan and retired Archbishop Oscar Cruz of Dagupan-Lingayen were “open” to the pilot project of the department.

“They’re open. Iñiguez said that he’s open per se but they also want to see the modules. We’re open to that,” Valisno said.

“We are in the consultation stage and we are looking into the reaction from different sectors. So far, the feedback has been good,” Valisno added.

Sex education has already been integrated in subjects like Biology. However, the UNFPA project aims to teach sex education as a separate subject initially in 80 public elementary schools and 79 high schools.

Education officials insist that the Church has nothing to worry about because the department is open to deleting portions of the teaching modules that it finds offensive.

No consultations

On the other hand, Assemblyman Adiong disputed the claim of the Eduation department on wide consultation.Hpe said education officials in ARMM have no knowledge about the sex education program’s modules and schedules.

“I asked DepEd-ARMM Secretary Baratucal Caudang about his department’s position on the program, and he replied that he has no knowledge yet about it,” Adiong disclosed.

Other ARMM officials also explained that rapid population growth does not constitute an issue in Islam because Muslims believe that Allah allocates provisions for every child that He allows to be borne. –JULMUNIR JANNARAL, Manila Times