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From Paper to Practice: Sexuality Education Policies and Their Implementation in Peru
Reproductive rights are under attack. Will you help us fight back with facts?
Key Points
Key Points
- Unlike other countries in the region, Peru has no national binding regulatory framework to support a comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) program.
- In 2008, the Ministry of Education enacted a set of guidelines to provide CSE in primary and secondary school; however, implementation has been weak due to a lack of political will, which is reflected in limited teacher training and the absence of monitoring and evaluation systems.
- Support for CSE in schools is high. Ninety-seven percent of students, 100% of teachers and 98% of school principals consider CSE should be taught in school, and between 86-92% of students believe their parents agree with this.
- The comprehensiveness of sexuality education at school is low: Only 9% of students receive instruction in all 18 topics that ensure comprehensive coverage.
- Most teachers agree that students have a right to ample information about sexual relationships and reproductive health; they advise their students to protect themselves by using condoms when they have sex. However, one-third of teachers tell their students that having sex is dangerous and that they should avoid having sex before marriage.
- The main challenges for CSE teachers are the lack of teaching resources or materials, lack of time in class and their own lack of training. Training for CSE teachers has been sporadic, and mainly provided through support from international cooperation. More technical and budgetary support is required from the Ministry of Education.
- CSE should be strengthened in Peru by turning current regulations into law; establishing a mandatory national CSE program at primary and secondary education levels; and providing the corresponding technical and budgetary support.
- A quality, continuous in-service training program is needed for CSE teachers.
- CSE implementation must include a monitoring and evaluation system to allow progress to be measured and problems to be identified for quality improvement.
English-language full report is available in PDF using download link above.
