Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Papua New Guinea (PNG) is one of the most populated countries in the Pacific, with most of its population living in rural areas. The country has some of the highest rates of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in the region, as well as high rates of unintended pregnancies among young women (UNFPA, 2021). Reducing the rate of adolescent pregnancy is a priority for the government, evident in the PNG Youth and Adolescent Health Policy.  (UNFPA, 2021) 

While no formal curricula on comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) exist, certain components of CSE are integrated into the curricula for elementary, primary and secondary education, in courses such as Culture and Community, Health Education and Personal Development.

The Papua New Guinea Education Act of 1983 (as amended in 2020) does not address the inclusion of health, sexuality, or any component of CSE into national curricula. 

Some policy frameworks allude to the integration of some components of CSE in the school curriculum. The Gender Equity in Education Policy (GEEP) of 2002 was created so that no student in Papua New Guinea's education system is disadvantaged on the basis of gender. It includes the goal of developing gender-inclusive curricula and promoting awareness of gender equity and gender-inclusive practices. The National Health Plan 2011-2020 seeks to improve SRH in adolescents. One goal of the National Sexual and Reproductive Health Policy (2014) is to address the increasing high-risk behaviour of adolescents that leads to premarital sexual encounters, early marriage, unintended pregnancies, unsafe abortions, and negative social consequences, such as school dropouts. The Papua New Guinea National STI and HIV Strategy 2018-2022 prioritizes the inclusion of up-to-date evidence-based HIV and SRH educational content in the national school curriculum and teacher training, and the provision of support to teach this content. The PNG Youth and Adolescent Health Policy (2014) aims for health education and information to be available and accessible to the general population. It proposes that the Department of Education collaborates with all relevant partners to ensure that education on youth and adolescent health is provided in all schools, including training aids and manuals being made available in every school. The National School Health Policy (2015) promotes school health education programmes, the promotion of health in schools and SRH education in upper-primary and secondary schools.  

The government of Papua New Guinea‘s Vision 2050: Smart, Wise, Fair, Healthy and Safe Society proposes a range of learning experiences that enable students, as individuals and as members of society, to make informed decisions, modify their behaviour, and change social conditions in ways that enhance health and increase health literacy. The National Education Plan (NEP) 2020-2029 mentions the Citizenship and Christian Values Education (CCVE) curriculum. However, it does not mention the integration of CSE into the curriculum.  

A five-year National Action Plan was developed to improve access to contraceptives. The goal is to achieve 50% of contraceptive prevalence rate with modern family planning methods, mainly focusing on contraceptive implants, by 2020 (UNFPA, 2021).

At the elementary education level, the Culture and Community syllabus covers areas such as the arts, physical education, science, health, and community living. The syllabus contains age-appropriate content where students learn, for example, about the relationship between hygiene, disease and nutrition, through actively participating in health-promoting activities in schools and communities. This strand prepares children for more advanced study of health at higher levels, to lay the foundation for an ongoing healthy lifestyle once they have left school.  

In primary education, the Health Education syllabus includes strands on growth and development, individual and community health, nutrition, and safety and first aid. Learning units include areas such as: one’s relationship with one’s body; culture, values and morals; career exploration; alcohol and substance abuse; protection from disease; a healthy environment; health services; food and growth; food and hygiene; and safety and first aid. Specific topics addressed in the different units include physical changes, the stages of puberty, the role and influence of the media, and positive emotions. Health Education is allocated 90 minutes per week per class.  

In secondary-level education, Personal Development include units on: relationships; the importance of movement and physical activity; culture, lifestyle and values; the health of individuals and the population; living and working together; relationships and character development; healthy living; spirituality; and sports and fitness; ‘Who am I?’; health; reproductive and sexual health; family and relationships; and universal values. Additional topics pertinent to CSE are included in social science and science subjects.