EDITORIAL ON GENDER IN SCHOOLS

After the public announcement of the UN rapporteur Rashid Manjoo on the importance of schools in promoting gender values there have been two major responses.

Perhaps she is here partly on damage control after the rampage of a horde of UN gays and lesbians over the last decade.

UNITED NATIONS BURNS BRIDGES

The first response was from AIDS Holistics applauding her approach but pointing out the existence of the Personal Development program in Papua New Guinea schools with focus on the individual person within family.

WEEKLY TEST FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT

We also pointed out that the present school text books focus only on family which is good. It enables the teacher to expand the centre of attention to the rights and responsibilities of men and women, boys and girls.

That should be enough to cover whatever Ms Manjoo has to offer. AIDS Holistics believes that the books should be more specific and not leave the detail to individual teachers.

Gender issues can be promoted against the framework of family. This brings the focus to the rights and responsibilities of women and daughters as well as men and sons. Brothers and sisters are also included.

We cautioned that any approach suggested by the United Nations should not involve removing the family focus and promoting individual rights with no responsibilities only for women and girls. That is the gay and lesbian strategy.

The second major response came in the editorial of The National newspaper. The present editor of The National is a national treasure.

The editor wrote that having gender based issues inculcated as part of school curriculum is a powerful tool to equip young women and men with social awareness to appreciate and take seriously the issue of violence towards women.

How a husband treats his wife influences their offspring’s perception of the world. It is with that mindset that these children are likely to revert to when starting families of their own and when interacting with others in the community and in their place of employment.

FAMILY TEACHING IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

The role of the church and other agencies for change are available to form and mould the people. That is the end of the editorial. Well done editor. Who taught you to write beautifully like that?

POSITIVE LIVING BASED ON FAMILY