Sexual education in schools

Sexual education involves the study of human sexuality relating to emotion, responsibilities and behaviour. The study is essential in high schools due to the evolving maturity of society. Teenagers are starting to enter sexual relationships earlier, and need to be educated about consequences and decisions, which are relevant to their sexual life. Teaching a standard level of sexual education is important around the world, so teenagers are aware of the infections and other costs, which come with having a sexual relationship with a partner. Students will benefit from the lessons as they will be aware of the importance of having STI tests and asking your sexual partner about any infections which he/she may transfer to you. Being aware of the large amount of consequences many teenagers may also realise the dangers of not carrying out safe sex, and wait until they are mature enough. If the information is not relevant to the student at their current age, it will in their future life. Most people have at least 1 sexual partner throughout their life, to which the information will become relevant. Many benefits are gained from teaching high school students about safe sex, and will help decrease the number of people infected with STI’s in Australia, due to the increased knowledge of consequences. Decreasing the people infected with sexually transmitted diseases, national health levels will increase, therefore becoming a healthier nation. Sexual education should be taught in all schools across the world to obtain a standard of knowledge that every individual should have before entering a sexual relationship.

The current state of STI infection among Australian teenagers

The amounts of teenagers infected with STI’s are increasing due to the lack of knowledge they hold. The majority of young people in the world are unaware that an STD can be contracted during oral sex. The numbers of people with infections is increasing, due to the early age at which many teenagers have sex and are therefore unprepared for responsibilities, resulting in high numbers of sexually transmitted infections. In 2007 27.8% of males and 24.2% of females aged between 15 and 16 have commenced a sexual relationship. This is significantly higher than in 2000. Due to their lack of knowledge about the infections obtained from having unprotected sex, only 24.5% of these teenagers used a condom.
In 2005 in South Australia 21% of teenagers aged 15-19 were infected with Chlamydia. This is very high when considering that Australia is a developed nation with contraception openly available to all citizens. Many Australian teenagers are currently infected with STI’s and are unaware, especially females. 75% of women do not show sign or symptoms after contracting and STI and can become aware when it can no longer be cured. Currently the people infected are dramatically increasing due to the increasing amounts of people having sex but the low standard of knowledge. In South Australia the amounts of people infected with gonorrhea increased by 126 people over 5 years. Unfortunately the amounts of people contracting STI’s will increase over the next several years, unless sexual education is be taught in all schools around Australia. Many teenagers are not aware of the responsibilities, resulting in 53% of teenagers between 15 and 19 who are pregnant to get an abortion. This is very upsetting when considering that it could have been prevented with knowledge of safe sex.

The most common STI’s.

Chlamydia:
 Most common STI
 Chlamydia is a sexually transmitted infection caused by Chlamydia trachomatis, which is a bacterium that only infects humans
 It can infect the genitals or the eyes and is obtained through sexual contact or unprotected sex
 Sings and symptoms:
Women - change in vaginal discharge, lower abdominal pain, inflammation of the bladder
Men – inflamed epididymes and bladder, pain of testicles
Genital Warts:
 Several