Personal, Social, Health and Economic education (PSHE education) will be made compulsory in schools from September 2011

Ed Balls confirmed today that personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE education) including sex and relationships education, will be made compulsory in schools from September 2011.

Deborah Jack, Chief Executive of NAT (National AIDS Trust):

“We welcome the Government’s announcement that personal, social, health and economic education (PSHE education) will be made compulsory in schools.  STIs, including HIV, are on the rise among young people.  All young people have the right to appropriate sex and relationships education that will give them the information they need to protect their sexual health.

We are pleased that discussion of same sex relationships and HIV is included in the PSHE education programme of study.  HIV is a serious long-term condition and young gay men remain the group of young people most at risk.  In the past young gay men have often been ignored in sex and relationships lessons in schools and the result has been a rise in young gay men being diagnosed with HIV.”
 

Notes to the editor:

For further information please contact: 
Katherine Sladden
Communications Officer
NAT
020 7814 6733 
press@nat.org.uk

NAT 
NAT (National AIDS Trust) is the UK’s leading charity dedicated to transforming society’s response to HIV. We provide fresh thinking, expert advice and practical resources. We campaign for change.
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www.nat.org.uk