ILOILO CITY: Two public schools in the city were selected to pilot the comprehensive sexuality education and population development education program approved by the Department of Education (DepEd).

The program is a joint undertaking of the DepEd, city population office and the Family Planning Organization of the Philippines in providing students of Melchor L. Nava National High School in Barangay Calaparan, Arevalo, and the pupils of Calaparan Elementary School the entry point for learning of sex education and population development.

Brayant Gonzales, national youth coordinator of the Family Planning group, said that the teaching module were embodied in the elementary and high school subjects, such as social studies, science and technology and other school subjects readily absorbed and understood by the students.

The program in elementary school starts at grade 5 until high school.

In a stakeholders’ forum on sexuality, population and development education initiative held on January 10, 2012 at the Education department conference room, along Mabini Street in Iloilo, parents, students and teacher were given the chance to give their reactions to the program.

Principal Delia Tenjico of Calaparan School and Principal Azucena Tigaronita of the Melchor L. Nava High School, gave their reactions and testimonies to the prevailing problem on teenage pregnancy and the advocacy measures of the community in disciplining the situation.