Comprehensive Sexuality Education
1. Context and background
The Czech Republic has a population of over 10.5 million, with a youth population under the age of 15 of 16% and with 15% of the population between the ages of 10 to 24 years. The adolescent fertility rate is lower than both the average for its region and the average for its income group, with 9 of every 1,000 girls ages 15-19 giving birth in 2023. Statistics covering sexual and reproductive health (SRH) and SRH rights include a contraceptive usage prevalence rate of around 63% and a modern contraceptive usage prevalence rate of 56% in 2023.
In terms of education, the total net enrolment rate in 2023 was 99% in primary education, 100% in lower secondary education and 95% in upper secondary education, with gender parity at all levels.
The 2004 Law on Preschool, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education, (School Law) mandates the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports to develop a framework education programme for all educational levels. In 2005, the Framework Education Programmes for Basic Education was published, and it has been updated in 2017 and 2021. The Framework Education Programme for Basic Education includes health education and components of SRH education in other mandatory educational areas across the different education levels. Schools are responsible for applying the Framework of Education Programmes into specific curricula.
2. Terminology
The 2010 Sex Education – Selected Issues handbook uses the term ‘sex education’. (Sexuálnívýchova).
According to the 2010 Sex Education – Selected Issues handbook, sexuality education should be ‘understood in a broader context and comprehensively. Only comprehensive and systematic sexuality education instils moral principles in the learner in addition to the information it conveys, shapes its actions and attitudes, develops the emotional sphere and supports personal autonomy.’
3. Laws and policies
3.1. Relevant international/regional agreements to which the country is a signatory
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INTERNATIONAL |
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Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW) Succession date: 1993 |
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) Succession date: 1993 |
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: 2009 |
Commits to the highest attainable standard of health for persons with disabilities. |
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International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights Succession date: 1993 |
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 |
Reaffirms that education is a human right. It highlights states' obligations to ensure free and compulsory education, bans any form of discrimination and promotes equality of educational opportunity. |
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The 1994 International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD) Programme of Action |
Calls for sexuality education, counselling and support mechanisms for adolescents, and identifies essential topics. |
3.2. Relevant national laws and policies mandating comprehensive sexuality education
The Czech Republic has laws and regulations that guarantee access to SRH care, information and education. In addition, the framework education programmes, which are determined by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, include health education and other SRH topics that are integrated into mandatory components of the curriculum.
The 2004 Act No. 561/2004 Law on Preschool, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and Other Education (School Law) does not specify the implementation of sexuality education in schools, but mandates the integration of the framework educational programmes in all education levels. The Framework Education Programmes are determined by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports for different levels, and define the general obligatory framework for creating school curricula. The Framework Education Programmes include components of SRH education, which are to be integrated into mandatory components of the curriculum.
The Ministry of Education’s Strategy for the Education Policy of the Czech Republic up to 2030+ does not include initiatives that are specific to CSE. However, it includes topics such as civic education, which covers areas such as human rights, personal development, and education for sustainable development
The main goal of the National Strategy for the Primary Prevention of Risky Behaviour for the period 2019-2027, (based on the same strategy for the 2013-2018 period), is to reduce the level of risky behaviour among children and youth, and to minimize its occurrence through an effective system of primary prevention.
3.3. Curricula
Mandatory or optional
Sexuality education is mandatory in primary and secondary schools.
Model of delivery
Sexuality education is taught as a cross-cutting topic within the framework of other components of the curriculum and included mainly in two standalone subjects: in the first level of primary school, sexuality education in mainly included in the field Člověk a Jeho Svět (Humans and the World); and in secondary schools, it is mainly integrated into Health Education.
Comprehensiveness of content
Topics covering aspects of sexuality education include biology and the body, pregnancy and birth, HIV, sexuality and online media, mutual consent and sexual abuse. Other topics that are featured less include contraception, STIs, sexual orientation, gender roles, access to safe abortion, sexual abuse and domestic violence.
At the primary school level, the subject area Humans and the World (Člověk a Jeho Svět) addresses relationships, tolerance, respect, and gender equity. Additionally, students are guided to get to know themselves, including their own biological and physiological functions and their health.
In secondary education, Health Education includes themes such as: relationships, including marriage and love; physical, mental and social changes, including puberty and adolescence; and SRH, which integrates topics related to health and the reproductive system, pregnancy, gender identity, abstinence and early sexual experiences. It also covers lifestyle-related issues including protection against communicable diseases, interpersonal relationships and communication.
Learning resources
The 2010 Sex Education – Selected Topics optional handbook provides recommendations and optional guidelines for teachers to use when they teach sexuality education. In addition, as sexuality education is taught in a cross-disciplinary way, aspects of sexuality education can be found in the relevant textbooks and supplementary materials. Schools also have the autonomy to determine the content, scope and materials.
3.4. Teachers
Training on sexuality education is provided through mandatory training, usually in on-day training courses.
3.5. Schools
The 2004 Act No. 561/2004 Law on Preschool, Basic, Secondary, Tertiary Professional and other education notes (in Section 29 (2)) that schools and school facilities are to ensure the safety and protection of the health of children, pupils, and students in education and directly related activities and in providing school services. They are also to provide students with the necessary information on safety and health protection.
4. Governance
4.1 Responsible ministries
The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports is responsible for introducing and implementing sexuality education in schools. The Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports works in close collaboration with the Ministry of Health on projects related to SRH.
4.2. Level of responsibility/decentralization and autonomy
The National Education Programme and the Framework Education Programmes define general guidelines which all schools must follow. However, the schools have some level of autonomy in deciding what content to teach. Schools are responsible for transforming the framework of educational programs into specific curricula. School administrators decide on the number of teaching hours, how to address sexuality education and what information to include.
4.3. Government budget allocation
No information was found.
5. Monitoring and reporting
The Czech School Inspectorate, appointed by the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports, is responsible for monitoring the quality of delivery of subjects in classrooms, including sexuality education.
