In her remarks this week, the Chairperson of Pornography Control Committee Dr Annette Kezaabu said revising the school curriculum to incorporate pornography will help children in primary and secondary schools get ample knowledge about the epidemic and its effects so as to avoid it.
Dr Kezaabu, who doubles as a lecturer at the Department of Journalism and Communication at Makerere University, told media at Lake View Resort Hotel in Mbarara that the Directorate of Ethics and Integrity is in talks with the Ministry of Education and Sports to see that schools teach children about the dangers of pornography as soon as they are old enough to go online.
This development has sparked mixed reactions with critics expressing “horror” if their children were taught about pornography in school.
Majority have liked the move to “playing with fire” and warned that introducing pupils to pornography risks undermining their “natural sense of reserve”
Mr Kato Tibigambwa, a former quality controller at In-flight Services Limited saying, the curriculum will only stimulate curiosity hence the development of sexually risky behaviour and activity at a younger age.
“We have several subjects already in place that should just be strengthened to suit the changing trends in moral decadence,” Andrew Opio, a Kyambogo University student says.
Enid Nabasa, a mother of three, believes incorporating pornography into the school curriculum is no different from strengthening sexuality education – which the Gender Ministry banned in schools last year until a policy to regulate the content is formulated.
“Should we allow alcohol drinking and smoking now in schools just to for them to know their consequences,” Byaruhanga Pius, a trader in Kampala says.
Dr Kezaabu said they have been receiving many letters from girls complaining about the high percentage of pornographic materials in this country, “even in schools!”
“Uganda alone has the highest number of teenage pregnancies and school dropouts and pornography makes one sexually active even at young age. People don’t realize the real danger of pornography in this country but I can tell you that a big number of problems in society stem from the use of such illicit materials,”
To differ from others, Moses Nsereko, a Kampala resident agrees with the Pornography Control Committee, saying Schools and parents must talk about porn when they talk to young people about sex and relationships.
“If our objective is to help students to integrate the information they receive in the classroom to their own “personal health choices,” then we should address addiction, violence and human trafficking when we talk about pornography.”
As such reactions to the Pornography Control Committee proposal escalate, the question that remains unanswered is “Will the Ministry of Education and Sports back up the Pornography Control Committee for pornography to be taught in school?”
By Paul Wasswa Dennis.
