Portugal: no sex education at schools?
Portugal's conservative government has announced that sex education will be removed from the curriculum of the subject citizenship and development, leaving it unclear how the topic is to be taught at schools. Critics accuse the government of shifting to the right on socio-political issues and adopting the positions of right-wing populist party Chega.
Ideologically-driven diversionary tactics
Former Socialist culture minister Pedro Adão e Silva comments in Público:
“The government wants to steer the public debate with hyped-up topics. It's the same old pattern: faced with the inability to respond to the housing crisis it is talking about the nationality law; faced with the difficulties of the national healthcare system it is fuelling fear about the 'ideological shackles' of citizenship and development lessons. At first glance, these topics dominate the media agenda and the tactic seems to work. But only at first glance. If the government thinks it can compete with [right-wing populist party] Chega in inventing fake news, it is very much mistaken. It's just taking another step in a race to the bottom.”
Educate and protect young people's health
Education must not be misused for political trench warfare, warns Jornal i:
“The world has changed rapidly and dramatically and schools have a duty to keep pace with the times. We must not turn the issue of sexuality for young people into a matter of right or left-wing politics. Sexuality is an issue that concerns us all. This backward step is out of keeping with the times, we are missing an opportunity to educate young people and protect their health. We mustn't allow this to become a taboo topic, we must put the prejudices and stereotypes behind us.”