TheJakartaPost
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Sex education, the fun way
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The idea that sex education is taboo should be thrown out the window, as it can be a powerful tool in teaching children how to respect and protect themselves as well as others. (Shutterstock/File)
T
here is very limited research on teaching sexuality education to young children at home. Especially in Indonesia, debates about the merits of introducing sexuality education to children in schools are still rare.
The “International technical guide on sexuality education”, published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization a decade ago, states that equipping children and young people with sexuality education will help them learn about sexual abuse and exploitation. This would help prevention and recognize abuse and exploitation when they occur, as well as address them through access to sources of support.
Research by Tulodo that involved 409 households in Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, aimed to identify issues, problems and needs of parents with children aged 5 to 9 years old, especially related to sexuality education at the family level.
The research found most parents felt and believed it was important to teach their children about reproductive health, gender differences and body functions, as well as self-protection. Yet, only around 40 percent had the confidence to discuss these issues with their own children.
Despite numerous causes behind this — social constructs, family traditions, norms as well as traditional and religious beliefs — parents also lack the tools that can create fun learning experiences about sexuality education in a family setting.
Tulodo Indonesia conducted research into and developed a family-based sexuality education teaching kit for children aged 5 to 9 years old known as Dolpin (Dolanan Pintar or Smart Game).
In developing Dolpin, we used empathy and aspiration, rational and emotional reasoning, to understand the real needs of families, especially the urban poor in Jakarta where the prototype testing took place. To test the usability, attractiveness, level of understanding and acceptability of the Dolpin prototype, four stages of testing were conducted involving 40 families in Central Jakarta.
