The APEEE is closely working together with school on all pedagogical related issues which are discussed in the education councils and in which the APEEE and parents are represented. To deal with important issues concerning the daily life and well-being of our children, the school can set up informal Working Groups in which teachers and parents can discuss opportunities and challenges but also develop concrete projects and solutions to ensure a healthy atmosphere at school. Amongst these issues, sexuality education is regarded as particular sensitive.
It is within this framework that, last year, the school set up a Working Group of teachers representing all levels of Nursery, Primary and Secondary on sexuality education. The objective of the Working Group is to establish a curriculum for sexuality education in EEB IV. Throughout their school life, pupils should acquire age-adapted and coherent knowledge on sexuality through professional teaching. The Working Group takes into account the sensitivity of the issue and the fact that the school can only complement the sexuality education provided by parents. The main subjects of the first three meetings of the Working Groups during the last school year were gathering the different aspects related to sexuality in our society and to get an overview of elements of sexuality education presently spread over different subjects in the different language sections.
Parallel to this work, the school has started to prepare a pilot project on sexuality education for S4 coordinated by the school nurses. Parents will be informed by the school directly on this project. From the outset, a small group of parents under the umbrella of the APEEE is actively following and contributing to the work of the teachers. The working group’s main objective is to ensure communication between the school and the parents about the developments of the curriculum and to represent parents’ views in the Working Group of the school. In close co-operation with the school the parents’ group is preparing an information evening with an external speaker to be held in November 2014. This will also be a first occasion to present the Sexuality Working Group to parents. Further information will follow.
The working group is open to all parents who would like to contribute in the establishment of the sexuality education curriculum which will be unique in the European School system. You are of course welcome with questions and remarks which you can send to martina.sindelar@ec.europa.eu
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