Pacific academic slams sex-ed rollback for ignoring cultural needs

A Pacific academic is criticising the removal of school sex education guidelines, arguing that cultural considerations have been disregarded and the political narrative surrounding these changes is based on fear.

Last week, the Ministry of Education removed the updated guidelines for teaching sex and relationships from their website, reverting to the guidelines from 2007.

Dr Analosa Veukiso-Ulugia, a senior lecturer at the University of Auckland, says the move is “terribly disappointing”.

“Those 2020 guidelines included our Pacific world views and understandings to help teachers and schools understand that how we view sexuality education may be different from other communities.”

In Tonga, talking about sex with the opposite gender is considered tapu (taboo).

Veukiso-Ulugia says the now-removed guidelines recommend male and female discussion groups and being mindful of the dynamics when a female teacher speaks to male students.

“You might be sitting in a class with your cousin, and when they start having those conversations, it’s like ‘hang on a minute, at home, this is not meant to happen’.

“There were teachers in the South Island, non-Pacific, who read this, and it was a shock to them, and it opened a conversation to say, ‘Hey, in Pacific communities, this is actually us showing respect, not only for those that are teaching us but actually amongst ourselves’.”

The rollback of the guidelines follows a coalition agreement promise to “refocus the curriculum on academic achievement and not ideology, including the removal and replacement of the gender, sexuality and relationship-based education guidelines”.

Photo/File

Deputy Prime Minister Vaovasamanaia Winston Peters celebrated fulfilling an election promise.

“We campaigned to get these woke, out-of-touch guidelines removed from our schools and to stop indoctrinating our kids.”

Veukiso-Ulugia says the political narrative has honed in on the physical aspects of what might be taught.

“It's kind of scaremongering … people just focus on those first three letters of sexuality, and for many, it brings up a fear of ‘Are you going to teach our kids how to have sex?’

“It's actually teaching about communication. It's teaching about respecting oneself and respecting the other.”

Veukiso-Ulugia says schools provide a valuable space for students to ask questions and learn how to access trustworthy information.

The guidelines include age-appropriate information about consent and body safety. Photo/File

“What are the messages social media is pushing out about relationships? What's the media pushing out about body image and body safety? I would love to say that it's all positive, but that's not the case.”

She highlights concerns about issues like online bullying and the harmful influences young people face today.

Emphasising home as the foundation

In her research, Veukiso-Ulugia spoke with Sāmoan youth from eight high schools and their parents and found a common theme.

“We want our children to have a safe, healthy understanding of themselves, and also, if they're in a relationship with someone else and our young people, our families need the skills and tools to be able to do that.”

Veukiso-Ulugia says conversations about relationships should begin at home with a trusted adult and then be strengthened by what is taught at school.

“I totally agree that home - I’m thinking about my mum - that was my first school, that was where I learnt about life.

“But I also know as a mother myself, I cannot do this by myself, and if the schools are reinforcing that same message that ‘You are amazing, no one should be hurting you’, if our schools are promoting those same kinds of messages, isn’t that good for our kids?”