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HANOI UNIVERSITY

WRITING TERM 4

ARGUMENTATIVE RESEARCH ESSAY SHOULD SEX EDUCATION BE MANDATORY IN SECONDARY

SCHOOLS?

Supervisor : Nguyễn Hương Trâm Anh, M.A. Student: Trần Thị Châu Anh, 2007010022 Nguyễn Thị Mai Thuỳ, 2007010298 Class: 6A 20

<b>-Hà Nội, 2022</b>

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OUTLINE 1. Introduction:

Thesis statement: Sex education should be mandatory due to its benefits in terms of giving children essential sexual knowledge and skills.

2.1.1.1. Puberty is the period that is necessary for children to be provided with an explanation of biological traits, social morals, supported by Syarifuddin (as cited in Tirtawinata, 2016).

2.1.1.2. Puberty can also cause insecurity and loneliness, as well as the fear or shame of the shape or function changes in children (Gavin, 2020).

2.1.2. Supporting detail 2 Sex education keeps children from being exposed to : their private parts at the hands of others to avoid intentional and

unintentional abuse.

2.1.2.1. Libido can cause sexual desire, hence they need sex education to provide them with what can and cannot do in public to avoid the inducements of intentional and unintentional abusers (Tirtawinata, 2016).

2.2. Supporting Argument 2: Sex education teaches kids how to protect themselves.

2.2.1. Supporting detail 1 Sex education helps kids to avoid sexually : transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV, and unwanted pregnancy.

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2.2.1.1. HIV transmission can be reduced by approximately 85% if condoms are used 100% of the time to have sex correctly (Marfatia et al., 2015).

2.2.1.2. Sexual threat behaviors that may be decreased through well-designed and conducted HIV or STD prevention programs in schools, supported by Mavedzenge et al., (as cited in Wilkins et al., 2021). 2.2.2. Supporting detail 2 Sex education helps kids to avoid sexual :

harassment, abuse, and violence.

2.2.2.1. Indian girls have experienced sexual violence at the age of 10-14 and roughly 42% have gone through the trauma of sexual abuse before reaching adolescence (as cited in Singh et al., 2014). 2.2.2.2. Gender equality is taught in sex education from a young age,

lowering the danger of gender-based violence, supported by Rollston (as cited in Curran, 2022).

3. Counter argument: Opponents might say that educating sex at an early age is not suitable since they’re too young to adopt sexual knowledge as well as it “draws a path for the deer to run”.

Refutation: However, that stereotype is backward.

3.1.1. Detail 1: Sex education should be taught at an early age because it is the age defining the children’s thoughts, behaviors, and curiosities.

3.1.1.1. They are at a vulnerable age and are readily swayed by peer pressure, and depraved publications, making them prone to enticement and misunderstandings about sex.

3.1.2. Detail 2: Educating sex does not mean “drawing the path for deer to run”, but teaches students the importance of healthy sexual behavior. 3.1.2.1. Sex is an instinctive human action, thus, people should not

forcefully interfere, but should accept it as a normal aspect. 3.1.2.2. Allowing adults' “shyness” to affect children should be avoided

since the ramifications are severe.

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4. Conclusion:

Thesis restatement Secondary schools should make sex education compulsory : since it instructs children to understand their bodies and how to protect themselves.

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Should sex education be mandatory in secondary schools?

Sex education, which has long been around and popular in many school programs aiming at educating students about human sexuality issues, has achieved high acknowledgment due to its numerous advantages. However, there have recently been rising concerns over whether sex education should be made mandatory in schools, particularly in secondary schools. From our point of view, sex education should be mandatory due to its benefits in terms of giving children essential sexual knowledge and skills for their lives.

The first reason why sex education should be required in secondary school is that it helps kids understand how their body functions and how to deal with problems that arise through puberty. Syarifuddin (as cited in Tirtawinata, 2016, p. 6) argued that since children's growth, particularly during the puberty period, it is necessary for them to be provided with an explanation of biological function, genitalia limits, social morals, and dignity. This time can also cause insecurity and loneliness, as well as the fear or shame of the shape or function changes in children (Gavin, 2020), thus, sex education provides them a full understanding of how the body works to deal with the hormonal changes in puberty, and helps them get rid of negative feelings that come during this time. Futhermore, Tirtawinata (2016) explained that sexual desire or a kind of physical energy in children called Libido, provoked by puberty causes the activation of the hormonal glands sexually. Hence children should learn what they can and cannot do in public, and also understand the privacy of sex talks so that they can keep their private parts from the hands of other people. By cultivating an early awareness and right attitude regarding sex organs, sex education provides children a defense against the inducements of those people who are intentional and unintentional abusers.

The second reason in support of sex education in secondary schools is that kids can prepare, adapt better to sexual attitudes, and protect themselves from sex. First of all, sex

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education instructs children to avoid sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), HIV, and unwanted pregnancy. According to the National Youth Risk Behavior Survey [YRBS] (2019), teenagers are affected by sexually transmitted infections (STDs) at the greatest rate of any age group. Meanwhile, HIV transmission can be reduced by approximately 85% of students using condoms correctly 100% of the time when having sex (Marfatia et al., 2015). Mavedzenge et al., argued that delaying first sexual intercourse, reducing the number of times teenagers have unprotected sex, and boosting condom usage are examples of sexual threat behaviors that may be decreased through well-designed and conducted HIV or STD prevention programs in schools (as cited in Wilkins et al., 2021). Therefore, students should be taught to make a smart choice about whether or not they have sex and how to properly use contraception. Moreover, sex education is also a teaching tool to keep children from the habit of illicit sex, including protecting them from sexual harassment as well as sexual abuse. A survey conducted by the United Nations International Children’s Education Fund [UNICEF] showed that Indian girls might have experienced sexual violence at the age of 10-14, and roughly 42% have suffered the trauma of sexual abuse before reaching adolescence (as cited in Singh et al., 2014). Rollston (as cited in Curran, 2022) said that gender equality is taught in sex education from a young age, lowering the danger of gender-based violence. It also educates each relationship's consent to prevent sexual violence. This shows that students should know more about negative sexual behaviors and know how to respond when someone harasses or attacks them.

Opponents might say that educating sex at an early age is not suitable because they are too young to adopt sexual knowledge, which can create the diverse effect of “drawing a path for the deer to run”. However, Makuza (as cited in Atieno, 2018, p. 2) argued that teenagers who understand and practice self-control are less likely to yield to temptation and grow into healthy, responsible citizens. They are at a vulnerable age and are readily swayed by peer pressure and depraved publications, making them prone to enticement and misunderstandings about sex. Additionally, educating sex does not mean “drawing

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the path for deer to run”, but teaches students the importance of healthy sexual behavior. Pham argued that Eastern people’s “like to blame and condemn” mentality is the influence (as cited in Minh Tam, 2011). Sex is an instinctive human action; thus, people should not forcefully interfere, but accept it as a normal aspect. If no one shares learning about children's bodies or sexuality, children may enter the world with confusion about terms such as consent, reproductive health, and safe sex, which leads to irresponsibility in their sexual life. Allowing adults' “shyness” to affect children should be avoided since the ramifications are severe.

In conclusion, secondary schools should make sex education mandatory since it gives children a full understanding of their bodies and ways to protect themselves. Governments should make sex education a required subject in secondary schools to instruct children how to have a happy and healthy sexual life. Kids will suffer the consequences of sexual misunderstandings in their lives unless they are shielded by the power of knowledge given by sex education.

(869 words)

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Curran, T. (2022, April 16). Comprehensive Sex Education as Violence Prevention. Center For Primary Care.

Gavin M. L., MD. (2020, October). Talking to Your Child About Puberty (for Parents). Nemours Kidshealth.

HIV and STD Prevention At A Glance | Adolescent and School Health | CDC. (2020, October 22). Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Marfatia, Y. S., Pandya, I., & Mehta, K. (2015). Condoms: Past, present, and future. Indian Journal of Sexually Transmitted Diseases and AIDS, (2), 133.36 class="text_page_counter">Trang 9</span><div class="page_container" data-page="9">

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Minh Tam (2011, May 27). Sex of 9x: It is better to "draw the way for the deer to run". VietNamNet News.

-ve-duong-cu cho-huou-chay-22226.html Singh, M., Parsekar, S., & Nair, S. (2014). An epidemiological overview of child

sexual abuse. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 3 (4), 430.

Tirtawinata, C. M. (2016). Importance of Sex Education Since Early Age for Preventing Sexual Harassment. Humaniora 7(2), 201. ,

Wilkins, N. J., Rasberry, C., Liddon, N., Szucs, L. E., Johns, M., Leonard, S., Goss, S. J., & Oglesby, H. (2022). Addressing HIV/Sexually Transmitted Diseases and Pregnancy Prevention Through Schools: An Approach for Strengthening Education, Health Services, and School Environments That Promote Adolescent Sexual Health and Well-Being. Journal of Adolescent Health, 70(4), 540–549.

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