Comprehensive Sexuality Education
1. Context and background
In the Philippines, young people account for one-third of the population. In 2012, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act was passed, integrating sexuality education into the existing curriculum for learners from kindergarten to Grade 12; however, it has yet to be fully implemented. In 2018, the Department of Education established the Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in an effort to reduce the increasing prevalence of teen pregnancy, sexual assault, and STIs such as HIV, among young Filipinos. According to the CSE Policy Guidelines, CSE aims to ‘effectively address the needs of the learners for health and protection through education’ and is ‘designed to ensure that the learners are receiving comprehensive and appropriate information that can advance gender equality and empowerment’. Currently, the CSE curricula are being piloted in selected schools across regions that are not part of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
2. Terminology
CSE is defined in the 2018 Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of Comprehensive Sexuality Education as ‘an age-appropriate, culturally relevant program for teaching about sexuality and relationships by providing scientifically accurate, realistic, and nonjudgmental information’.
3. Laws and policies
3.1. Relevant international/regional agreements to which the Philippines is a signatory
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INTERNATIONAL |
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Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW)
Ratification date: 1981
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Acknowledges the need to guarantee sexuality education free from discrimination and stereotypes, conveying gender equality values. |
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Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC)
Ratification date: 1990
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Commits to the right to access appropriate health-related information. |
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Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD)
Ratification date: 2008
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Commits to the highest attainable standard of health for persons with disabilities. |
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International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
Ratification date: 1974
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Acknowledges that the right to sexual and reproductive health is an integral part of the right to health. |
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UNESCO Convention against Discrimination in Education
Ratification date: 2019
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Commits to ensure free and compulsory education, bans any form of discrimination and promotes equality of educational opportunity. |
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REGIONAL |
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The Asia and Pacific Ministerial Declaration on Population and Development (2013) (Asia Pacific) |
Commits to the design, funding and implementation of ‘comprehensive sexuality education and life skills’ programmes that ‘provide accurate information on human sexuality, gender equality, human rights, relationships, and sexual and reproductive health, while recognizing the role and responsibilities of parents. |
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3.2. Relevant national laws and policies mandating comprehensive sexuality education
Various laws and policies that support the inclusion of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) in formal educational settings have been implemented. The 1998 Philippines AIDS Prevention and Control Act calls on the Department of Education, Culture and Sports, the Commission on Higher Education and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority to integrate information on HIV & AIDS and other STIs at the intermediate, secondary and tertiary education levels, including non-formal and indigenous learning systems. The Act also stipulates that such a curriculum should not be used ‘as an excuse to propagate birth control or the sale or distribution of birth control devices: Provided, finally, that it does not utilize sexually explicit materials’ (Section 4).
The 2009 Republic Act 9710: Magna Carta of Women calls on the Commission on Higher Education to pursue and implement comprehensive health information and education, including ‘age-appropriate adolescent health and sexuality education’, with a focus on respect and responsibility. It also calls for measures to educate parents to enhance their communication with children. In addition, it notes the need to train health service providers and educators ‘towards gender-responsive, culture-sensitive, non-discriminatory and non-judgmental behaviors and attitudes’.
The 2012 Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act (Republic Act No. 10354) and its Implementing Rules and Regulations include as a guiding principle ‘the respect for protection and fulfillment of reproductive health and rights that seek to promote the rights and welfare of every person, especially couples, adult individuals, women, and adolescents’. Rule 11 of the Act states that ‘the State shall provide age- and developmentally-appropriate responsible parenthood and reproductive health education to adolescents and school-age children, which shall be taught by adequately trained teachers and educators in formal and non-formal educational system and integrated in relevant subjects, including, but not limited to, values formation; knowledge and skills development; and sexuality education’. It also states that the Department of Education shall develop a curriculum for use in public schools that includes reproductive health ideas and themes. Private schools may accept the DepEd curriculum or build their own, pending DepEd permission.’ (Section 11.01).
At the policy level, the 2010 Strategic Framework on the HIV Response on Children and Young People requires ‘key HIV and STI prevention information, including messages on where to access HIV-related services’ and the ‘integration of age-appropriate and gender-sensitive HIV prevention education in the general school curriculum (formal and non-formal)’.
In 2018, the Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education were implemented. These Guidelines ‘seek to develop a consistent understanding of CSE's essential principles and themes and to assure the unambiguous implementation of CSE protocols’. The Guidelines further aim to: ‘ (1) enhance the over-all wellness of Filipino adolescents (physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual); (2) contribute to better learning outcomes, reduce dropout rate, increased completion rate, and improved quality of learning; (3) ensure that adolescents have access to adequate and appropriate information and health care education; (4) address the reproductive health concerns of adolescents, who are expose to risky behavior that may cause unfavorable and long-term consequences; (5) promote healthy and responsible sexual and social behavior among adolescents’ (6) promote healthy and responsible sexual and social behavior among adolescents (7) develop mature and responsible children and young adolescents imbued with desirable health values, which can assist them in making rational decisions that can lead to satisfying productive, and quality life; (8) provide teachers with a resource material for developing life skills such as decision-making and problem-solving relative to adolescent reproductive health; and (9) enable teachers to integrate key concepts and messages on reproductive health concerns across the curriculum wherever these can be done most appropriately.’
The 2017-22 Philippine Development Plan promotes the improvement of nutrition and health outcomes for all, as well as the provision of innovative and relevant services, such as family planning and SRH for adolescents and young adults. The need for reproductive health education is similarly promoted in the 2022 Basic Education Development Plan and 2016 Basic Education Research Agenda.
3.3. Curricula
The 2012 Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act (Republic Act No. 10354) mandates the provision of parenthood and reproductive health education to adolescents and school-aged children in formal and non-formal educational systems, and that this is integrated into relevant subjects. It also requires the Department of Education to design a curriculum for use in public schools that incorporates reproductive health concepts and themes. Private schools may accept the curriculum of the Department of Education or create their own, subject to official approval. In 2021, the Department of Education piloted the CSE programme in selected schools that were not in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.
Mandatory or optional
The 2012 Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act (Republic Act No. 10354) mandates the provision of education on parenthood and reproductive health to adolescents and school-aged children in formal and non-formal educational systems.
Model of delivery
According to the Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of Comprehensive Sexuality Education, the CSE curricula are included in the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum, where core topics and sub-topics are integrated into particular learning areas: i) music, arts, physical education and health; ii) social studies iii) human education; iv) science; and v) personal development. CSE may also be integrated into other learning areas and grade levels. Indigenous learning systems and Madrasah education programmes are required to integrate the CSE standards, core topics, core values, and core life skills into the above five learning areas.
Comprehensiveness of content
The CSE curricula topics and sub-topics include: the human body and human development; personhood; healthy relationships; sexuality and sexual behaviours; SRH; personal safety; and gender, culture and human rights.
In 2020, the Commission on Population and Development and its implementing partners in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao developed a Comprehensive Gender and Health Education for Youth module, which aims to provide Muslim adolescents with information on gender and development, health and reproductive health, and their entire well-being in the context of Islamic values and principles. The module is divided into five areas: anatomy and physiology; gender and development; health and nutrition; social relationships; and human relationships and spiritual responsibilities.
Learning resources
The Learning Now, Learning New, Learning Next: Orientation of Teachers on the Awareness of CSE is a 16-part orientation session on teachers’ awareness of CSE, supported by slide presentations, a menu of classroom activities, videos and other multimedia resources, a survey guide for baseline data, all in printable format, as well as other CSE-related literature.
At the policy level, the 2017-22 Philippine Development Plan stipulates the provision of suitable learning materials. According to Section 11.04 on training for educators of the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act 2012 (Republic Act No. 10354), the Department of Education must provide instructional materials and visual aids to guarantee the quality and relevance of teaching SRH education. The 2018 Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education also requires the Department of Education to set standards for the efficient and effective teaching of CSE, which is based on constructivist, inquiry-based, reflective, collaborative, and integrative pedagogical approaches.
3.4. Teachers
According to the 2018 Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of Comprehensive Sexuality Education, the Department of Education is committed to ensuring teacher training on CSE and aims to collaborate with the Curriculum and Learning Management Division in the development of CSE training programmes. This division is specifically responsible for conducting trainings for school heads and teachers on the integration of CSE across learning areas and to coordinate this with the School Governance and Operations Division. With the launch of the CSE curriculum, the Department of Education launched online teacher training for selected teachers from selected pilot zones and also in areas that were not covered in the pilot plan.
The Department of Education also supports the continuing professional development of teaching personnel through the 2016 Learning Action Cell as a K to 12 Basic Education Program School-Based Continuing Professional Development Strategy for the Improvement of Teaching and Learning, which is based on the principle of lifelong learning and the commitment to developing teachers’ potential and facilitating success in their profession.
The 2020 National Online Training of Teachers on the Integration of CSE in the K to 12 Basic Education Curriculum is a joint initiative with the Department of Education, the Center for Health Solutions and Innovations Philippines, Inc. and UNFPA. The project aims to strengthen CSE programmes in schools The Learning Now, Learning New, Learning Next: Orientation of Teachers on the Awareness of CSE teaching resource was developed to raise awareness of teachers and principals on CSE. It is a 16-part orientation session on teachers' awareness on CSE and is to be implemented as part of schools’ Learning Action Cell initiative.
CSE training is integrated into the relevant learning and development programme interventions of the National Educators Academy of the Philippines, although there is no specific mention of CSE in the 2019 Pre-Service Practice-Based Training, Philippine Professional Standards for Teachers, or the Professional Development Framework.
3.5. Schools
The 2012 Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act (Republic Act No. 10354), Section 11.03 on supportive school environments states that ‘private and public schools shall provide young people a supportive environment where they have access to services such as (a) Counseling and psycho-social support services; (b) Facilities for information on prevention of risky behaviors, including addiction; (c) Facilities for information on prevention and diagnosis and proper management/treatment of STIs; and (d) Facilities for information and referral to service providers on all RPRH concerns’.
The Updated Philippine Development Plan 2017-22 proposes the development of adolescent-friendly health services to address the unique needs of a particular age, in relation to providing the correct information and access to adolescent SRH services, including for HIV, as well as the establishment of ‘teen centres’ and adolescent-friendly facilities or spaces in schools.
4. Governance
4.1 Responsible ministries
The Department of Education is responsible for developing and incorporating CSE topics within the curricula through its relevant central units. The Bureau of Curriculum Development formulates a national framework for the development, implementation, and review of the CSE curriculum (including policy, minimum standards, and the implementation of rules and regulations). The Bureau is also responsible for developing CSE competencies, conducting national CSE trainings, and leading the development of learning resource packages. The Bureau of Learning Delivery, the National Educators’ Academy of the Philippines and the Bureau of Curriculum coordinate the development of CSE training programmes, the Bureau of Learning Resources develops CSE learning resources, while the Bureau of Educational Assessment integrates CSE concepts into the national assessment system. The National Educators Academy of the Philippines oversees the integration of CSE into its relevant learning and development programmes.
At the regional level, the regional offices are responsible for the adaptation and integration of the CSE policy and framework and for coordinating CSE training programmes. The Department of Education has partnered with the Department of Health and the Commission on Population and Development in launching the Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Adolescent Reproductive Health (CSE-ASRH) Convergence, which is a whole-of-government response to reproductive health issues among the youth.
4.2. Level of responsibility/decentralization and autonomy
According to the 2018 Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education, schools are responsible for: implementing CSE programmes and projects through curriculum integration across learning areas, information dissemination and advocacy campaigns, networking, and partnerships; including CSE programmes and projects into the School Improvement Plan; initiating and conducting CSE-related classroom activities, research, field studies, and other data collection procedures articulated in the Plan through the school publication/newsletter; using the contextualized CSE learning resources; and including CSE in school Learning Action Cells sessions.
4.3. Government budget allocation
No information was found.
5. Monitoring and reporting
According to the 2018 Policy Guidelines on the Implementation of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education, the CSE Monitoring and Evaluation framework provides the mechanism for the Department of Education to assess its progress in achieving its CSE goals. It should specifically ensure that CSE is an integral component of school policy formulation on curriculum implementation and contextualization. The CSE Monitoring and Evaluation Team includes the Department of Education, in partnership with the Department of Health, the Department of Social Welfare and Development, the Commission on Population and Development, the National Youth Commission, and development partners and non-government organizations engaged in adolescent health and psycho-social interventions. Objectives include regular monitoring and reporting of the integration of core contents and key messages in the formal, non-formal, community-based education, special education, and indigenous learning systems, as well as implementation assessment and bi-annual reviews.
