Sex education for teens

Today, Indonesia is experiencing an intense period of development, both in terms of economic development and socio-cultural development. One aspect of social change evident in Indonesia is related to sex. Teenagers and young people are changing their attitudes, ideas and behaviour in relation to sex. Amongst these groups, higher rates of pre-marital and high-risk sexual behaviour are being recorded by various NGO’s working in the area of reproductive health. A number of associated social problems have emerged such as high rates of unplanned teen pregnancy, high rates of transmission of Sexually Transmitted Infections including HIV/AIDS, and a general lack of understanding regarding sex. These aspects reveal a lack of an adequate Sexual and Reproductive Health Education program institutionalised across schools of Indonesia.
This Field Study focuses on the school environment as one institution in society that has the opportunity to reach a large proportion of Indonesia’s youth. While a significant number of Indonesia’s youth lie outside the reach of educational bodies (either in the workforce or on the streets), schools have a great role to play in protecting today’s youth – with knowledge. However, it is evident that few schools are taking advantage of this opportunity and most are providing limited Sexual and Reproductive Health Education. With little support or guidance from the government, schools provide
what information they see fit, largely influenced by the religious and societal norms surrounding the school. As a result, Sex Education in Indonesia is limited, with a focus on the biological side of reproductive health, and Abstinence-Only focused lessons.
The process of researching this field study revealed a number of approaches to Sex Education. In some schools, Sexual and Reproductive Health Education was quite limited, while others utilised community resources such as the services of NGO’s to provide a fuller and more rounded program to students. Students today are, in general, supportive of Sex Education. While significantly more Westernised than their parent’s generation, Indonesian youth of today still hold religious values quite highly. In relation to Sexual and Reproductive Health, the students researched in this field study were keen to have more access to knowledge, provided by schools as a trusted source of information and provided in such a way as to be in harmony with their religious values. If such information was unavailable in schools, youth were likely to go to the mass media (especially the internet and various popular pornographic materials) for such information. The topic of sex in general is still regarded as somewhat taboo in Indonesia, and is not generally discussed in clear terms. This is an attitude that is changing with time. However, it did hamper my efforts to research this field, as respondents were often nervous or uncomfortable discussing a sex-related topic. Language and other cultural barriers provided challenges to the research of this very brief account of Sex Education in Yogyakarta.

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