Ministry: Criticized life skills classes in schools to continue

“Currently, there are no such plans,” BNS informed ŠMSM on Wednesday.

Artūras Žukauskas, the chairman of the Education and Science Committee of the Seimas, is seconded to the Ministry. He told BNS that a letter from the Family Movement reached the committee regarding the life skills classes that started this fall, and no further appeals were received.

“No stopping. We, I don’t think we will try to stop something. There are always political forces that do not want to change anything, but this is not a reason to stop,” said the representative of the Freedom Party in the Seimas.

The Parents’ Forum accuses the Ministry of Education, Science and Sports that LGBT propaganda will be spread during classes, and is outraged that children will be taught about contraception instead of abstaining from sexual intercourse.

Lawyer Ignas Vēgėlė stated in the TV show “Dēmesio centru” that children will be taught, among other things, “how to make that contraceptive for oral sex” in these classes.

The Mayor of Širvintos, Živilė Pinskuvienė, announced on the social network that the subject of life skills classes in municipal institutions “will not be sexual relations between children of the same sex, nor the use of a barrier film for oral sex”, but will focus on the problems of healthy lifestyle, hygiene, prevention of bad habits and violence, for students topical issues.

At that time, the Presidency urges to avoid politicking in the evaluation of the content of educational programs and leave it to specialists, and at the same time suggests postponing the start of the program if there are currently no competent pedagogues to implement it.

The Ministry rejects the criticism, saying that misleading information is circulating in the public space, and the teachers are ready for these lessons and will still be able to improve.

Spreading incorrect information

According to A. Žukauskas, on Tuesday, Minister of Education Gintautas Jakštas explained the situation to politicians about life skills lessons and distributed distorted information.

“One thing, something is being distributed fake program, delusions about oral sex training and the like, which is completely non-existent. The one thing here is that many believe maliciously spread propaganda without seeing or reading it. I suspect where it is from, I don’t want to say here. There is a country, even a study conducted by the Council of Europe, that tries to find cracks and cross the societies in Europe, only to hear something about sexuality and start generating fakes”, said A. Žukauskas.

He said that he views the program positively, that he has not noticed “any terrible things”, and that he has heard positive feedback from the families he interacts with, both children and parents.

On Tuesday in the Seimas, G. Jakštas told politicians that the life skills program had been prepared for more than two years. Scientists and pedagogues of that field were involved in its preparation, and parents were also consulted.

“Family is very important. This is also reflected in the program itself, that is through education. No sexual orientation is promoted (…). What is important is to understand that we are different and to respect all of our differences. This is one of the values ​​that we should all have. However, as you mentioned, there is no promotion in the programs,” G. Jakštas told the members of the Seimas on Tuesday.

The topic of sexuality is troubling

Some parents are concerned about the sexuality topics that are integrated into the Life Skills lesson.

According to HMSM, classes 5-10 will touch upon different topics related to this. For example, the fifth grade will examine what sexual harassment is, and discuss the physiological processes that occur in adolescence, such as puberty and menstruation.

In the sixth grade, it is planned to examine what psychological, physical, economic and sexual violence and abuse are, what harm violence does to health, to recognize sexual harassment, human trafficking and seek help. It will be explained what sexual health is, how a person’s behavior and environmental factors affect it.

Seventh graders will analyze how attitudes help or hinder acceptance of other people’s opinions, cultural identity, gender identity, analyze the importance of following the principles of mutual consent in relationships, discuss love and sexual desire, get acquainted with the concept of contraception, available contraceptives, and their appropriateness.

In the eighth grade, it is planned to teach what sexual crimes are, how to recognize situations in which there is a threat of being involved in a human trafficking network, becoming a participant in the pornography industry. What is pregnancy planning, planned and unplanned pregnancy will be analyzed. Consequences of pregnancy termination are discussed.

Ninth graders will analyze various relationships and distinguish their characteristics, relationship intimacy and describe what intimacy is appropriate for different relationships. It will also examine how sexual desire is related to fluctuations in the amount of hormones in the body, what are the factors that enhance sexual desire, the concept of sexually transmitted infection, the symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases, how to prevent these diseases will be explained.

In the tenth grade, participants of the life skills program will learn what planning for a long-term relationship is, the impact of early sex on physical, mental and social health. Will touch on the topics of pregnancy planning, contraceptives. Students will also find out who to turn to when questions arise regarding sexual and reproductive health.

Teachers are trained at the university

The presidency states that school general education programs “must not become an object of politicization”, and if the content of the education program raises doubts, it should be evaluated and corrected by specialists in the relevant field, including the education and parent communities in this process.

“It is also necessary to listen to the arguments of specialists – the statistics of rape and sexual crimes against children remind us that there is insufficient investment in prevention and education,” the Presidency said in a comment to BNS on Wednesday.

According to her, the prerequisites for the quality of any educational program are teachers adequately prepared for the implementation of educational programs.

“If we don’t have competent teachers to implement the Life Skills program, we should delay the start of this program and invest in teacher training,” the Presidency emphasizes.

Minister G. Jakštas told the members of the Seimas on Tuesday that teachers can teach classes even now, and there are also pedagogues who are improving.

“Teachers are being trained, a university program has been created, the Vytautas the Great University program for pedagogues teaching Life Skills programs has already started, and it should start soon at Vilnius University as well – said G. Jakštas.

According to the minister, there have been consultations in recent years and teachers have been trained, as this is “not something completely new” as the subjects of the program have been integrated into the educational process.

“It’s just that now they are created and put in a separate lesson, because it has not been given enough attention in schools so far,” the minister asserted.

The content is not new

As BNS informed ŠMSM, the life skills lesson is new, but its content includes relevant topics taught to students in schools, such as social-emotional education, prevention of the use of psychoactive substances, prevention of bullying and violence, suicide prevention, sexuality education, health education, first assistance, human safety, the implementation of which in schools lacked consistency and time.

The Ministry claims that, for example, human safety as a separate subject was implemented only in the 5th, 8th, and 10th grades. Since the beginning of the 2017 school year, the topics of health, family preparation and sexuality education have been taught in an integrated manner, but no separate class time was provided for this.

“Teachers who taught the subject of human safety had to complete the relevant qualification courses. For the teachers who taught the Health and Sexuality Education and Family Preparation program in schools, many courses, consultations, other qualification improvement events were organized, and a lot of methodological materials were provided. So, there are already such trained specialists in schools, and you need to trust them”, says the comment of the Ministry of Education and Culture.

According to the ministry, teachers can independently arrange the content of lessons according to the topics presented in the program for specific classes.

The program is not fully implemented: in grades 1-4 it will be taught in an integrated manner, in grades 5 and 7 there will be one weekly lesson, and in grade 9 – one lesson every other week.

“This is a gradual implementation of the program, so fewer teachers will be needed this year as well,” the Ministry of Education and Culture points out.

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#Ministry #Criticized #life #skills #classes #schools #continue

**Interview with Artūras Žukauskas, Chairman of the Education and Science Committee of‍ the Seimas**

*Interviewer: Thank you for joining us today, Mr.‍ Žukauskas.‌ There seems to be some controversy surrounding the new life skills classes being introduced in schools. Can you provide clarity on what these classes will entail?*

**Artūras Žukauskas:** Thank you for having me. The life skills⁢ classes aim to cover a wide ⁤range of topics‌ that are essential for the holistic development of​ our children. While there has been concern regarding discussions on sexuality and contraception,⁤ I want to emphasize that these classes are designed to be educational and informative, rather than‌ promoting any specific ​agenda. The focus will be on⁣ healthy lifestyles, hygiene, and recognizing ​and preventing violence and abuse.

*Interviewer: You’ve mentioned the concerns raised by some parents and organizations regarding the content of these classes. How does the Ministry respond to accusations ⁣of⁣ promoting LGBT propaganda or inappropriate sexual education?*

**Artūras ​Žukauskas:** The Ministry, alongside our committee, is aware of these accusations. However, ⁤it is crucial to point‍ out that much of the criticism stems from misinformation. According to our Minister Gintautas Jakštas, the program was developed in consultation with experts in the field, and ⁣there is no intention⁤ to promote any specific ‌sexual orientation.⁣ The goal is to provide comprehensive education that respects diversity while also teaching students about consent, healthy relationships, and personal safety.

*Interviewer: Can you explain how these classes have ⁤been received by students and parents so far?*

**Artūras Žukauskas:** Feedback has generally been positive. Many families express a desire for their children⁢ to be educated on these ‌important topics, especially regarding personal safety in today’s world. Parents want‌ their children to learn about issues such ⁢as sexual harassment, abuse, and healthy relationships ⁢so they can navigate these challenges more effectively.

*Interviewer: Critics have raised concerns about the preparedness of teachers to deliver this content.​ What is being done⁤ to ensure they are adequately trained?*

**Artūras Žukauskas:** That’s a very valid concern. We understand that the effectiveness of any educational program heavily relies on the teachers’ readiness. Training programs have been established at universities, including‍ Vytautas the Great University and soon at Vilnius University, to better equip educators. We believe that with proper ⁣training, teachers will be prepared to engage students on these sensitive topics effectively.

*Interviewer: Lastly, what is your vision ⁣for the future of ‍education in this area, particularly regarding⁢ life skills?*

**Artūras ⁤Žukauskas:** My vision is for these life skills classes to become a fundamental part of our education system, ensuring ⁣children not only receive knowledge but also ⁢develop critical life skills that help them grow‌ into responsible, informed adults. It’s about equipping ‍our⁤ youth to face the complexities of modern life with confidence and compassion.

*Interviewer: Thank you, Mr. Žukauskas, for sharing your insights on this important topic.*

**Artūras Žukauskas:** ​Thank you for having me. It’s a crucial conversation, and I appreciate the opportunity to clarify our objectives.