| By Theresa Tan | ||
 |  | Mr Iswaran stressed that the Ministry of Education strives to keep sexuality education in line with mainstream values in Singapore. -- ST PHOTO: JOYCE FANG |
SENIOR Minister of State for Education S Iswaran said parents are 'quite right' to be concerned by some parts of the Association of Women for Action and Research (Aware) sexuality education programme.
While he did not elaborate, he stressed the Ministry of Education strives to keep sexuality education in line with mainstream values in Singapore.
The minister's comments came two days after MOE said it will suspend all sexuality education programmes in schools run by external groups, including the controversial Aware one.
In addition, the MOE will implement a new, tougher vetting process for the selection of such external programmes by schools.
The move was taken after the MOE received complaints, Mr Iswaran told reporters at an event on Friday, at which Cola Cola Singapore and McDonalds treated about 70 poor families to lunch.
He also said that schools are given automony to decide which external agencies to hire to run programmes but added that the MOE will take 'appropriate action' if it finds specific instances where such programmes don't follow MOE's guidelines.
'I think there are specific instances, upon investigation, there's a sense that they (Aware) have exceeded guidelines and we are taking appropriate action now,' he added.
A copy of Aware's instructor guide for its sexuality education programme posted online contained lines such as 'anal sex can be healthy or neutral if practised with consent and with a condom' and 'homosexuality is perfectly normal. Just like heterosexuality, it is simply the way you are'.
However, Aware had earlier told The Straits Times its instructor guide, which is meant to be confidential, contained more responses that what is used.
Aware added: 'The guide includes possible responses for instructors should certain topics, such as homosexuality and premarital sex, be raised during sessions. They are not necessarily the responses actually used, as our instructors always use language and terms appropriate to their audience.'
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