Sex education to become compulsory in England

Sex education classes will become compulsory for primary and secondary school children in England to help reduce Britain's high rate of teenage pregnancies, the government announced on Thursday.

The Daily Telegraph newspaper said Schools Minister Jim Knight will unveil the move when he publishes the findings of a review of sex and relationship education.

Earlier this month, Knight told MPs that many young people had told the review they did not know enough to make safe and responsible choices about relationships and sexual health.

Although teenage pregnancy rates have fallen 13 percent over the past 20 years, Knight said there is still further to go. Britain has the highest teenage pregnancy rate in Western Europe.

"I have received many representations for making personal, social and health education statutory in order to address the problem," he said.

The government set itself a target in 1999 to half the teenage pregnancy rate by 2010.

At present schools only have to teach pupils about the biology of puberty and reproduction. In primary schools, sex education comes under the science curriculum.

The new curriculum is expected to increase greater emphasis on building relationships and sex health, the Daily Telegraph said.

英国政府于本周四宣布，为了降低未婚少女怀孕率，政府拟将性教育列为英国中小学生的必修课程。

据英国《每日电讯》报道，中小学事务大臣吉姆•奈特将在公布一份恋爱与性教育研究报告的同时，正式宣布这一计划。

奈特于本月早些时候在下议院会议中指出，很多年轻人称他们不十分清楚自己怎样做才是安全和负责任的。

尽管英国的少女怀孕率在过去20年中下降了13%，但奈特说，这一问题仍然较严重。英国的少女怀孕率为西欧最高。

他说：“我收到了很多针对这一问题的提案，其中包括要求政府出台个人、社会及健康教育等各方面的法令。”

英国政府于1999年制定目标，计划到2010年将少女怀孕率减少一半。

目前英国学校只开设有青春期和生殖方面的生物课程。小学生只能在自然课中学到一些相关知识。

《每日电讯》报道说，新课程将加大与人相处及性健康方面的内容。