Changes to sex education ruled out

THE Department of Education yesterday ruled out any changes to the sex education programme in primary schools following the Tánaiste's comments on allowing children as young as 11 access to the morning-after pill.

A spokesperson for the department said no change was envisaged in the Primary RSE (Relationships and Sexuality Education) programme. The Primary RSE is part of the Social, Personal and Health Education (SPHE) curriculum.

Since September 2003 all schools are required to include one period of SPHE a week in their timetables, but no figures are currently available for the number of primary teachers who have received RSE training in recent years.