An overhaul of 'out-of-date' sex education curriculum is being developed, Sky News reports.
A consultation has begun, and teachers, as well as parents and young people themselves, are being asked to give their input on what should be taught on sex and relationships in the classroom. Tenax Schools Trust's Ian Bauckham is leading the consultation.
"I met with some young people in Parliament about a month ago and they were staggered that no government has updated the guidance since 2000, so I think there is a general consensus that we need to improve things and that it is what we are making a start on today," Education Secretary Justine Greening told Sky News.
Justine announced earlier this year that sex and relationships education would become mandatory in all schools in England.
With her plan to revamp the curriculum, Justine hopes to address issues that children would not have faced in 2000, the last time the guidance was updated.
These modern issues include sexting, cyberbullying, revenge porn, and other risks that were not around before the ubiquity of the Internet.
As well, the Education Secretary hopes that the new guidance will shed more light on mental wellbeing and LGBT issues.
"The world's changed a lot since [2000], not least the online risks that our children and young people face, whether cyberbullying, the huge amount of inappropriate material that is on the Internet and sex - so we now need to update this guidance," the MP told Sky News.
She continued, "We're working with people like Barnardo's and the NSPCC to make sure that we do it properly, but it is important that everyone has their say and I think we need to speak to parents and teachers in particular. And of course, young people."
The joint general secretary of the National Education Union, Dr. Mary Boustead agreed that change needs to happen.
"The current guidelines are completely out of date, they were written in 2000, they were written before any widespread use of mobile phones, before sexting, before the easy downloading of pornography," she said to Sky News.
Dr. Boustead clarified that with mobile devices, 'young people can misuse technology to cause harassment and sometimes abuse of their peers in school', which is why this new curriculum in necessary.
What do you think of the proposed overhaul, mums? How do you feel about the current state of sex education?
