Ms. Maina argued that good practices would be promoted, HIV and AIDS infections reduced, and rising cases of teenage pregnancy prevented through comprehensive sex education offered through formal school curricula.

Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba explained to the National Assembly on Tuesday that the ministry adopted an age-appropriate approach. He said learners receive content that matches their developmental stage, with the level of detail increasing as they move up the grades.

“It would not be possible to implement sex education as a single core subject running from Grade One to Grade 12,” CS Ogamba told the National Assembly Committee on Implementation, which was chaired by Mandera South MP Haro Abdul. He added that sexuality topics are integrated across different grades and subjects, ensuring children are introduced to the concepts gradually as they grow.

The motion divided the House. Supporters believed sex education would equip girls to handle adolescence with fewer challenges, while critics insisted it could promote “Western” practices that undermine African cultures and values.

Cabinet Secretary Ogamba confirmed that the ministry complied with the resolution adopted on August 18, 2023. He said the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) created detailed matrices on sexuality, values, and life skills to guide lesson content.

“When children are being taught about different parts of their body, we are asking them to identify their sexuality,” explained Dr. Jacqueline Onyango, the Ministry of Education’s Director of Curriculum Development.

Dr. Onyango added that at the primary school level, where the focus is on building social skills, learners study appropriate behaviour and interpersonal engagement through the Environmental Activities subject, which blends elements of Home Science and Science.

“In subjects like English, Kiswahili, and even foreign languages, learners will encounter comprehension passages that relate to human sexuality, helping them understand what is happening in the context of their environment,” she explained.

A 2016 National Needs Assessment Survey, conducted to guide the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) on human sexuality, had already identified Pertinent and Contemporary Issues (PCI) as a priority. The study exposed worrying trends such as early sexual debut, rising HIV and STI infections, adolescent pregnancies, early marriages, and a surge in school dropouts.

“These patterns highlighted a gap in young people’s ability to understand and manage their sexuality within appropriate developmental, cultural, and religious frameworks,” CS Ogamba noted.

He stressed that the negative effects of these issues have weakened the family and social fabric, while also limiting young people from reaching their full academic, career, and economic potential.