Sexuality Education

1. Sexuality Education (SEd) in schools is about enabling students to understand the physiological, social and emotional changes they experience as they mature, develop healthy and rewarding relationships including those with members of the opposite sex, and make wise, informed and responsible decisions on sexuality matters. SEd is premised on the importance of the family as the basic unit of society. This means encouraging healthy, heterosexual marriages and stable nuclear family units with extended family support. The teaching and learning of SEd is based on respect for the values and beliefs of the different ethnic and religious communities in Singapore on sexuality issues.

2. The goals of Sexuality Education are to:

(i) To help students make wise, responsible and informed decisions through the provision of accurate, current and age-appropriate knowledge on human sexuality and the consequences of sexual activity;
(ii) To help students know themselves and build healthy and rewarding relationships through the acquisition of social and emotional skills of self-awareness, management of their thoughts, feelings and behaviours, development of empathy for others, possession of effective communication, problem-solving and decision-making skills; and
(iii) To help students develop a moral compass, respect for themselves and for others as sexual beings, premised on the family as the basic unit of society, through the inculcation of positive mainstream values and attitudes about sexuality. 

3. The key messages of Sexuality Education are:

(i) Love and respect yourself as you love and respect others;
(ii) Build positive relationships based on love and respect (which are the foundation for strong families);
(iii) Make responsible decisions for yourself, your family and society; and
(iv) Abstinence before marriage is the best protection against STIs/HIV and unintended pregnancies. Casual sex can harm and hurt you and your loved ones.

You may click here for more information on MOE Sexuality Education.

Overview of Tampines Meridian Junior College's Sexuality Education Programme for 2021

4. Sexuality Education is delivered in a holistic manner through the school curriculum. The content for Sexuality Education is grouped into five main themes: Human Development, Interpersonal Relationships, Sexual Health, Sexual Behaviour, and, Culture, Society and Law. You may click here for more information on the scope of Sexuality Education in the school curriculum.

Growing Years (GY) Programme: “Love Matters (2^nd Edition)” Teaching & Learning resource package

5. The focus for “Love Matters” is on issues in relationships. Specifically, the JC/CI package covers Interpersonal Relationships, with themes of Human Development, Sexual Health, Sexual Behaviour, and Culture, Society and Law woven into the main focus on relationships.

At Tampines Meridian Junior College, the following lessons from the Growing Years Programme will be taught in 2021: 

JUNIOR COLLEGE 1 

UNIT

LESSONS / DURATION

Lesson Objectives At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:

TIME PERIOD

The Real Self (Part 3)	1 (50 mins)	• analyse the impact of one’s self-perception on one’s behaviour • recognise that some messages in the media have sexual connotations and reflect ideals or stereotypes • evaluate messages that promote casual sexual activity among adolescents • recognise that the media has a tendency to inaccurately reflect the effort needed to nurture and maintain relationships	Term 3 Week 8
Lessons about Love (Part 6)	2 (50 mins)	• know that love is a commitment and it is not the same as having feelings of attraction • appreciate the importance of balanced roles, self-respect and mutual respect in the healthy development of relationships • recognise that differences in values, goals, and expectations may become challenges and /or lead to conflicts in the relationship • know the different styles of conflict management and acquire effective techniques of conflict management in a romantic relationship	Term 3 Week 9
	3 (50 mins)	• appreciate that abstinence is to be cherished and is contingent on the exercise of self-control • examine and empathise with the dilemma of an unwanted pregnancy faced by an unmarried couple • appreciate that one’s beliefs on abortion is influenced by one’s religion, culture and values. • recognise that an abortion can have severe effects  • evaluate one’s own beliefs about STIs/HIV/AIDS and the need to treat all individuals with respect and dignity • recognise that there is a tendency to underestimate one’s own vulnerability	Term 3 Week 10

JUNIOR COLLEGE 2

UNIT	LESSONS / DURATION	LESSON OBJECTIVES At the end of the lesson, students will be able to:	TIME PERIOD

Lessons about Love (Part 7)	4 (50 mins)	• identify signs of an unhealthy dating relationship and the early indications of a breakdown of relationship  • appreciate that one can emerge stronger despite having gone through a breakup • explore beliefs about marriage • know the possible psychological impact on children experiencing parental separation or divorce • recognise the importance of having family support for a relationship • aspire to develop similar enduring character traits and qualities that one would consider in a life partner • appreciate that marriage is a lifetime commitment and that there will be challenges in marriage as in any other relationships	Term 1 Week 7
	5 (50 mins)	• recognise that personal decisions on how one displays own affections in public can affect others • discern the impact of new media on relationship building	Term 1 Week 8
NA	6 (50 mins)	This will be a culminating formative assessment task for students to consolidate what they have learnt from the previous lessons.	Term 1 Week 9

eTeens Programme:

6. eTeens is a programme developed by Health Promotion Board, in collaboration with the Ministry of Education, to provide JC/CI students with accurate information on STI/HIV and protection from a health perspective so as to enable them to make wise, informed, and sensible decisions. For 2021, the programme will be extended to JC/CI 2 students who have not completed the programme in 2020.

7. Students are taught skills such as decision-making, assertiveness and negotiation to say “no” to sex and negative peer pressure. They also learn that the impact of STI/HIV extends beyond themselves and involves their family. Abstinence and upholding family values are the key messages. The desired outcome of the eTeens programme is that students are empowered to make wise, informed and sensible decisions.

At Tampines Meridian Junior College, the eTeens programme will be implemented as follows in 2021:

8.    Parents may opt their children out of Growing Years and/or supplementary sexuality education programmes by MOE-approved external providers.

9.    Parents who wish to opt their children out of the Growing Years (GY) programme need to complete an opt-out form. This form will be distributed to parents at the start of the year and is also downloadable here. The completed form is to be submitted by 22/01/2021 for JC2 and 09/07/2021 for JC1.

10.    Parents who wish to opt their children out of the eTeens programme need to complete an opt-out form. This form will be distributed to parents at the start of the year and is also downloadable here. The completed form is to be submitted by 22/01/2021 for JC2 and 09/07/2021 for JC1.

11.    Parents can contact the school at TMJC@MOE.EDU.SG for discussion or to seek clarification about the school’s sexuality education programme.

12.    Parents, who wish to attend the school sexuality education programmes, should contact the school to make the necessary arrangements.