If there is anything like the beginning of creation and beginning of life, there is reproduction, both asexual and sexual to perpetuate it. Since then, there is gender or sex differentiation. Biologists made a good study of this life activity in different species and also in humans. In general men and women should acquire the necessary information about this activity at the proper time to make it fruitful and pleasant.
We in Bharat recognised and understood the purpose of this activity very well. The omnipotent is worshiped as God as well as Goddess by many in our society. This activity is described under the third of the four purusharthas, dharma, artha, kama and moksha. A dharmic way is prescribed to fulfill kama or desire, that also as a samskar to continue progeny and to attain salvation (moksha) of the individual as well as the society, while enjoying the pleasures of married life.
In animals the sexual desire is fulfilled after maturity and at the occurrence of the instinct. Man has a more developed mind compared to that of animals. The mind can be trained to make the individual wiser and to observe reasonable restraint to make any activity pleasant. This is also true with sexual activity. Training of the mind is an important aspect of Bharatiya education and it is through inculcation of samskars right from the childhood. The education brings all-round development in man and at the same time makes him knowledgeable in one or many fields according to his aptitude. In order to create increased devotion in him during the precious phase of education, certain disciplinary measures have been evolved and laid as educational conventions. Brahmacharya Ashram is the first phase in the life of an individual during which he observes celibacy and makes the best use of his time by concentrating on studies. During the modern period though co-education is the common practice in many institutions today, many parents prefer their girls to study in girls? schools, if available. The teachers and parents keep close watch on the movements of the boys and girls, in order to prevent any possible diversion from their studies on account of attraction towards the opposite sex and particularly in case of girls, because of their gender vulnerability.
The so-called sex education is a part of general education and is included in general science or biological science. Suddenly, a section of the educationists started stressing on sex education as a measure of modernising our society.
It is introduced in the schools on the pretext that it acts as panacea to the present-day problems with sex, like contracting AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies in the teenaged girls etc.
There are apprehensions in the minds of parents that a separate subject like sex education in schools may bring permissiveness in the society. We are already witnessing the fallen ethical standards and the vitiated social atmosphere aided by the films, print and electronic media. The society fears that the situation ultimately leads to promiscuity.
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has come out with Kama Sutra for Kids in the garb of Adolescent Life Skills Programme. There was uproar in the society. The Shiksha Bachao Andolan Samiti started an agitation against it. Maharashtra, Karnataka and many state governments have banned the sex education in their states. Unfortunately those who support it are considered moderates and those who oppose, orthodox and of out dated thinking.
Recently, Hon?ble Minister for Human Resource Development Shri Arjun Singh made a statement that what is being introduced is not sex education but an Adolescent Education Programme. It is nonsense. How do you call that subject, which includes teaching about sexual intercourse, masturbation in males and females, oral sex, lesbians and gays, pornographic books, blue films etc? It is a nasty course, to say the least. He should not lie with the nation by just putting a mask of a separate title as if it is made a respectable course by that. Did he go through the books in question? How does he feel if his granddaughter or grandson approaches him to clarify a point of doubt in a lesson given for homework? The society in Bharat? Hindu, Muslim or Catholic?is not in a position to accept such subjects. The west is burning with such perversities. Why is the Hon?ble Minister anxious of burning Bharat? We don'texpect a bluff from a person of the stature of central minister.
Sex education has not been neglected in our society. Certain value-systems had already been developed here and respecting them, it is given an appropriate place. The determined enemies of the Hindu value-system call it hypocrisy and try to destroy the very value system.
Our society is being shaken of its foundations formerly due to the Macaulay system of education during the British rule and now in the independent India by the pseudo-secular forces. The discipline observed in schools has become loose. In the society, bad elements emerged that use sex to earn money, with the result, pornography, blue films, kidnap and sale of girls, even export of girls to foreign countries, sex abuse of the immature and teenaged girls are often reported, many times with the connivance of security forces, highly placed officials and politicians. Under these circumstances the thinkers of our society and educationists should aim at insulating the tender school-going children in the best possible way from the unethical, illegal and dangerous rackets that never care for the society and bent on destroying the good traditions of our society.
Farah Baria writes in an article in The New Indian Express (TNIE) dated 5-4-2007 from Visakhapatnam that sex education as a subject is harmful because it encourages kids to have free sex. It is alleged by radicals that traditionalist fear that caste, class and religious background will be wiped off by such a measure. It is not a fact. We want the necessary social change in the society, but here the remedy is more toxic than the disease. In reality, the parents and the society look for comfortable settlement of their daughters, which rarely occurs, if they fall a prey to the lusty impulses and mischievous acts of male chasers, whose number increases far more if we implement sex education in schools.
Situation in the West
Let us see for a moment what is happening in the western society, which wanted the child to grow without any inhibitions. Times of India, New Delhi, dated March 13, 2007 reports that United Kingdom provided gay rights to its citizens and to comply with the law, schools started teaching children as young as four years about sex and same-sex relationships too, with the help of a series of prepared books of fairy tales. The above law comes into force from April 6, 2007.
The western countries have introduced sex education long ago in their schools, with the result they are seeing innumerable instances of teenaged girls in schools becoming pregnant. As a necessity the governments opened separate abortion centres in hospitals. Sex perverted or intoxicated individuals lose their discrimination. There are reports of teachers having sex with their young students. Nearly eight years ago, it was reported in print media that French government passed an act to make available to the school children what are known as ?Morning-after Pils? to prevent the possible conception, which led to the protests by thousands of agitated parents against that act by assembling at the famous Eiffel Tower in Paris.
We can understand that the situations are going out of control of the governments in the west. All the perverted sex practitioners, unable to come out of the vices, are fighting for an honourable place for them in their societies. Those indulging in practices like sodomy and lesbianism fight for their right of being recognised to marry and live as same sex couples. There are pressure groups working on the governments.
Scientific Quests
The west is even searching for a scientific basis for the eccentric behaviour of individuals. I happened to discuss with an American professor on the perversions in the western society. I asked why in the west sexual perversions are recognised and even protected by law. Same gender marriages are recognised and gays and lesbians are given legal rights for marriage. He replied that in such persons some anatomical pre-disposition exists in their brains. So, a person, so destined, cannot be changed and the way-out is only to recognise.
T.J.S. George wrote in an article in TNIE, Vijayawada, dated 24-09-2006 about a conference of scientists in London discussing the topic of any scientific evidence like neurological loci in brain or genetic configuration for moral or otherwise behaviour of an individual. Some experts presented evidence to suggest that the orbito-frontal area of the brain could be the location of a moral centre.
The Perverted Revolt against the tradition
Today the west is caught in social turmoils and is inundated in many social compulsions. The champions of human rights are fighting for complete freedom to an individual right from his childhood in every type of activity.
The western society is trying to come out of the increasing behavioural degeneration of the society. They could not even evolve an ideal tradition. It is not surprising that many of the western thinkers are looking to Bharat for solution. We have to place before the west what Bharat can offer to ward off the ills of modernity.
The instances from the west are enough ringing bells warning our intellectuals not to make perverted excursions in the educational field. Hence, we warn the present authorities not to impose sex education as a separate subject of study in schools. In fact, the parents are the best teachers to their children. They should educate them at the proper time on this activity. Arrangement for counselling the students on their personal problems by a respectable teacher may be a good remedy. So, it is enough what is being taught on this subject in science classes in schools. If any extra information is very much felt to be added, that should be placed for discussion at the proper educational forums involving individuals and voluntary organisations working for evolving better education in our nation and then only incorporated in the education curriculum.
So we appeal to all right-thinking elite to urge the educational authorities at the state and the central levels to stop imposition of this sex education in the guise of Adolescence Education Programme.
(The author can be contacted at 6-20-6, East Point Colony, Visakhapatnam?530 017; e-mail: visweswaram@rediffmail.com)
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