[LISTEN] DBE rejects claims of inappropriate sexual content in syllabus
"People need to contact the Department for the real story," says the Department of Basic Education's Elijah Mhlanga.
The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has rejected claims that the content of its Life Orientation (LO) subject is not suited for young children.
The Department's Elijah Mhlanga says there's no truth to recent claims that new content has been added to the syllabus is inappropriate.
"People need to contact the Department for the real story," says Mhlanga.
"We found that the concern is around grade 4 learners," he notes.
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"People seem to think that we will give young people content that is inappropriate, but what we are basically doing there is to ask them to discuss their body parts - for them to understand that boys don't have the same body parts as girls."
Listen to Mhlanga below:
Some teachers have threatened to strike over the new syllabus content and prefer the current Comprehensive Sexuality Education that has been part of the curriculum since the year 2000.
The Department, however, says there are some groups that continue to deliberately mislead the public and parents over the nature of sex education.
Mahlanga explains: "These learners have access to YouTube where they can view material fo a sexual nature, we want them to also understand pornography...don't' do what they do, it is dangerous, you can be addicted to it, and we are creating awareness around these issues."
Listen to Mhlanga below: