Explicit sex lessons for kindergarten and primary pupils

Masturbation, sexual intercourse, sexual harassment and pregnancy will be included on kindergarten and primary schools' curriculums from the next academic year.

Pupils will also learn the correct terms for sexual organs including the use of words such as penis and vagina. Secondary school students will be taught about homosexuality and pre-marital sex, under draft guidelines to be issued by the Education Department.

Assistant Director of Education Dr Julian Leung Yat-ming said revisions to 1986 guidelines on topics considered taboo by many families were necessary in view of rapid social changes. 'The guidelines aim at helping teachers to equip our students at all levels with the attitudes, values and knowledge necessary for resolving sex tensions, communicating, building self-esteem and for making decisions based on informed choices,' he said.

The existing guidelines cover only secondary schools and some in the education field regard them as conservative.

A working group comprising officers, academics, school principals and teachers was formed in early 1996 to revise the code.

Chan Pui-tin, secretary of the group, said the guidelines comprised seven chapters which provided a curriculum framework detailing key concepts and topics for different levels of schooling.