A PUBLICATION OF THE MINISTRY OF WOMEN’S AFFAIRS
RECOGNITION OF WOMEN’S MANA IS THE PATHWAY TO EQUALITY
TE MANA WAHINE HEI ARA WHAKATIPU
01
››
SEPTEMBER 2007
Students attending schools that
provide effective sexuality education
programmes are highly motivated
to learn and they value the
programmes, a review has found.
The Teaching of Sexuality Education in
Years 7 to 13, was released in August
by the Education Review Offi ce (ERO),
together with an accompanying report
The Teaching of Sexuality Education in
Years 7 to 13: Good Practice.
The report was commissioned by the
Ministries of Women’s Affairs, Health, and
Education and is the result of a review of
the quality of sexuality education in 100
schools conducted by ERO last year.
The evaluation gathered information on
the following seven areas of the teaching
of sexuality education:
• the content of the sexuality education
programme
• the use of teaching and learning
resources
• the subject and pedagogical
knowledge of teachers
• how well schools were meeting the
needs of diverse students
• assessment
• student engagement
• school culture.
Women’s Affairs Minister Lianne Dalziel
said the report found that students were
motivated to learn and valued sexuality
education highly in an environment
where they felt safe to ask questions and
where there was a good rapport between
teachers and students.
‘Schools that provide effective sexuality
education programmes share many
characteristics including programmes
that are regularly updated; well planned
with clear direction; use modern and
appropriate resources; and have a strong
emphasis on a culture of school-wide
Effective
sexuality
education
highly valued
by students
respect and effective support networks
for students.’
Lianne Dalziel said the review was
conducted as a result of the agencies’
concern about New Zealand’s sexual
health statistics amongst young people.
‘Internationally, New Zealand has
high rates of pregnancy and sexually
transmitted infections amongst young
people. We believe that improvements
in their knowledge, skills, and attitudes
will result in more informed decisions
by young people about their sexual and
reproductive health and will reduce risky
behaviour.
‘Overseas research tells us that countries
with comprehensive sexuality education,
social openness in attitudes to discussing
sex and sexuality, and accessible, low-cost
health care and contraception have better
sexual and reproductive health outcomes
for their young people.’
Education Minister, Steve Maharey,
said no national evaluation of the
content and approaches schools were
taking to sexuality education had been
undertaken since an ERO review in 1996.
He welcomed the report saying it was
an important indicator of where things
were at.
Health Minister, Pete Hodgson, said
the review was part of a whole-ofgovernment approach to reduce the
number and proportion of teenagers
with sexually transmitted infections;
reduce the rate of unplanned teenage
pregnancies; and improve the ability of
teenagers to avoid and/or deal effectively
with coercive and other abusive
behaviours.
The MWA website contains a link to the
report at http://www.mwa.govt.nz/ or
you can go direct to the ERO website
http://ero.govt.nz/ero/publishing.nsf/
Content/sex-ed-jun07
ACTION PLAN
Action Plan for New Zealand Women
Well-Being 3.3.1 Sexual and
Reproductive Health. Implement
the Sexual and Reproductive Health
Strategy to reduce the incidence of
sexually transmitted infections and
number of unwanted pregnancies
with a particular focus on teenage
pregnancies. Develop a framework for
a cross-sector approach to reducing
teenage pregnancy.
RECOGNITION OF WOMEN’S MANA IS THE PATHWAY TO EQUALITY
TE MANA WAHINE HEI ARA WHAKATIPU
01
››
SEPTEMBER 2007
Students attending schools that
provide effective sexuality education
programmes are highly motivated
to learn and they value the
programmes, a review has found.
The Teaching of Sexuality Education in
Years 7 to 13, was released in August
by the Education Review Offi ce (ERO),
together with an accompanying report
The Teaching of Sexuality Education in
Years 7 to 13: Good Practice.
The report was commissioned by the
Ministries of Women’s Affairs, Health, and
Education and is the result of a review of
the quality of sexuality education in 100
schools conducted by ERO last year.
The evaluation gathered information on
the following seven areas of the teaching
of sexuality education:
• the content of the sexuality education
programme
• the use of teaching and learning
resources
• the subject and pedagogical
knowledge of teachers
• how well schools were meeting the
needs of diverse students
• assessment
• student engagement
• school culture.
Women’s Affairs Minister Lianne Dalziel
said the report found that students were
motivated to learn and valued sexuality
education highly in an environment
where they felt safe to ask questions and
where there was a good rapport between
teachers and students.
‘Schools that provide effective sexuality
education programmes share many
characteristics including programmes
that are regularly updated; well planned
with clear direction; use modern and
appropriate resources; and have a strong
emphasis on a culture of school-wide
Effective
sexuality
education
highly valued
by students
respect and effective support networks
for students.’
Lianne Dalziel said the review was
conducted as a result of the agencies’
concern about New Zealand’s sexual
health statistics amongst young people.
‘Internationally, New Zealand has
high rates of pregnancy and sexually
transmitted infections amongst young
people. We believe that improvements
in their knowledge, skills, and attitudes
will result in more informed decisions
by young people about their sexual and
reproductive health and will reduce risky
behaviour.
‘Overseas research tells us that countries
with comprehensive sexuality education,
social openness in attitudes to discussing
sex and sexuality, and accessible, low-cost
health care and contraception have better
sexual and reproductive health outcomes
for their young people.’
Education Minister, Steve Maharey,
said no national evaluation of the
content and approaches schools were
taking to sexuality education had been
undertaken since an ERO review in 1996.
He welcomed the report saying it was
an important indicator of where things
were at.
Health Minister, Pete Hodgson, said
the review was part of a whole-ofgovernment approach to reduce the
number and proportion of teenagers
with sexually transmitted infections;
reduce the rate of unplanned teenage
pregnancies; and improve the ability of
teenagers to avoid and/or deal effectively
with coercive and other abusive
behaviours.
The MWA website contains a link to the
report at http://www.mwa.govt.nz/ or
you can go direct to the ERO website
http://ero.govt.nz/ero/publishing.nsf/
Content/sex-ed-jun07
ACTION PLAN
Action Plan for New Zealand Women
Well-Being 3.3.1 Sexual and
Reproductive Health. Implement
the Sexual and Reproductive Health
Strategy to reduce the incidence of
sexually transmitted infections and
number of unwanted pregnancies
with a particular focus on teenage
pregnancies. Develop a framework for
a cross-sector approach to reducing
teenage pregnancy.