Nicky Morgan urges 'curriculum for life' to deal with sexting and pornography
|
Version 0 of 1. All schoolchildren must be taught a “curriculum for life” that helps them deal with modern issues such as sexting and revenge porn, Nicky Morgan, the education secretary, has said. In a speech to the Bright Blue thinktank, Morgan said schools need to do more to help youngsters “manage their lives” and “stay safe”. “NSPCC research shows that six in 10 teenagers have been asked for sexual images or videos online,” she said. “And many feel compelled to do it because of peer pressure or coercion. NSPCC research shows that six in 10 teenagers have been asked for sexual images or videos online “Let’s be clear that the internet and the advance of the digital age are things to celebrate and embrace, but let us not deny that they bring new pressures that require new responses too.” Morgan said some Tories were concerned about terms such as “values”, but personal, social, health, and economic education (PSHE) was key to creating successful adults. “Who truly can object to our schools being required to promote the very values that everyone in this room holds dear? Democracy. The rule of law. Individual liberty. Tolerance of and respect for those with different faiths and beliefs,” she said. “Schools are absolutely the right places for these things to be taught, promoted and embraced. “No matter how many times I am asked, I am simply not going to apologise to anyone for that. “I am clear that schools have a critical role to play in turning out rounded, resilient young people that can face the challenges of the modern world with confidence. “A strong academic core is the start, but it’s just that: a start. It’s not enough. We need to address the whole child.” Morgan said sex education was “an important element” of the PHSE programme. “But it’s just one part of it. In fact, proper PSHE should be much broader and should offer young people what I like to think of as a ‘curriculum for life’,” she said. “I want more schools to put high-quality PSHE at the heart of their curriculum. It is an essential part of their responsibility to prepare young people for life in modern Britain … “I know that the vast majority of schools and teachers recognise the importance of decent PSHE, and want to teach it well. That’s why this weekend I announced a range of measures to improve the quality and provision of PSHE education in our schools. “We will establish a new charter mark for schools in conjunction with the PSHE Association. This will be awarded to schools that demonstrate excellence in this area in order to give schools something to strive for in improving their PSHE teaching, and making it easier for schools struggling in this area to work with the best.” |