Sex education may not be a subject many students would choose as their favourite, but it is one of the most important. Here’s how teenagers and teachers in Vietnam are learning how to manage the ups and downs of puberty.
Mood swings, cracking voices, periods, and sex are just some of the natural but sometimes challenging aspects of growing up. Ask any young person, their parents or guardians and teachers, and they’ll tell you the same thing: puberty is a minefield!
Our brains and bodies change massively during adolescence. While the physical and emotional changes affect all young people differently, it’s a transition that every person goes through. They need the right tools, information and support to make informed decisions and develop and maintain healthy lifestyles and relationships.
In Tan Lac district, Hoa Binh province, Vietnam, secondary school students from Years 6-9 are learning how to manage their emotions and talk openly about sexual reproductive health. It’s all part of a ChildFund-supported initiative to improve education around health and wellbeing for teenagers in Vietnam.
According to a 2021 World Health Organisation report, more Vietnamese teenagers are having sex by the age of 14. Yet access to sexual and reproductive health information and services remains limited, especially for those who are ethnic minorities, migrants or living in rural areas. A lack of adequate, comprehensive sexual education and subsequent stigma around talking about sex and sharing reproductive health issues with caregivers and teachers is leading to unsafe behaviours (57.6% of adolescents are having sex without condoms), and health and social consequences.
Of course, creating a thorough and informative curriculum is only half the battle. Convincing already stressed-out teenagers to take on what they may see as ‘more homework? Not for the faint of heart. Thankfully, there are dedicated teachers like Ms. Lua and Ms. Sam who are helping young students see the value in learning about self-care and feel empowered to take control over their health and wellbeing.
Changing teens’ attitudes towards sex education—all in a day’s work
Dan, 14, a Year 9 secondary school student, had doubts when she first heard about the project. “The training will give me nothing, just more work”, was her initial thought. However, after Ms. Lua, her teacher, explained the roles, responsibilities and benefits of participation, Dan and her friends Nhu and Bich (both 14) decided to join the core group of students participating in the project.
It wasn’t long before she changed her mind about the health and wellbeing-focused classes. Dan says that she and her friends have since learnt a lot about themselves and how to protect their rights (topics included negotiation and refusal skills and how to ask for help).
“The lectures the teachers gave helped us learn a lot about psychological changes during puberty to help us know how to take care of ourselves and keep ourselves safe. I learnt more about my period and can now maintain better menstrual hygiene,” says Dan.
“My friends and I also understand more clearly the harm and consequences of having sex at a young age without safety measures. We can determine our values, manage our emotions and cope with stress and anxiety.”
My friends and I also understand more clearly the harm and consequences of having sex at a young age without safety measures. We can determine our values, manage our emotions and cope with stress and anxiety.
Dan, 14
Dan says the practical advice they received from these lectures has been particularly beneficial. Her friend, Bich, is prone to experiencing a lot of anger, which affects her friendships. Since participating in the project, Bich has been more in touch with her emotions. She has learnt to recognise when she is frustrated and now knows that talking to friends or teachers, practising breathing exercises or singing her favourite song can help her feel better.
Throughout the training, game-based activities and an emphasis on creating a safe and non-judgmental space to share experiences and feelings were vital to getting students to open up and learn more effectively. Dan says she and her friends have become closer and plan on sharing their newfound knowledge and skills with classmates.
“My friends and I feel lucky and happy to have participated in the training sessions and learn so many interesting things. What I have learnt can help more students understand themselves and their friends.”
Teachers and students are learning together
I had previously organised a few extracurricular sessions with students on reproductive health knowledge such as menstruation, signs of pregnancy, some sexually transmitted diseases, and contraceptive methods, but they weren’t that effective.
Ms. Sam, Year 9 Teacher
Providing secondary students with the knowledge, resources, and support to develop social skills and make informed decisions about their reproductive health is critical to tackling potential risky behaviours among young people in Vietnam. Yet, without a robust curriculum or tools to effectively convey important information, teachers in Tan Lac district, like Ms. Sam, struggled to engage students.
“I had previously organised a few extracurricular sessions with students on reproductive health knowledge such as menstruation, signs of pregnancy, some sexually transmitted diseases, and contraceptive methods, but they weren’t that effective,” she says.
The curriculum was missing important information, and Ms. Sam had knowledge gaps.
“I would talk to students about preventing pregnancy using condoms or emergency contraceptive pills, but I did not share about the dosage of contraceptives. Since I’ve never used the pills before, I hadn’t researched their effects, and it wasn’t in the curriculum.”
As a Year 9 teacher, Ms. Sam has seen first-hand the impact unsafe sexual behaviours can have on students. She says the trend towards young people having sex at an early age is a growing concern for teachers in the region, with more and more students dropping out of school due to early and unintended pregnancies. In some cases, young girls are seeking to terminate their pregnancy in unlicensed abortion clinics, potentially putting their lives at risk. (According to a UN estimate, Vietnam has one of the highest abortion rates in the world.) Both scenarios can have a considerable impact not only on girls’ physical and mental health but also on their future wellbeing.
So, when the opportunity to be part of the solution presented itself, Ms. Sam grabbed it and didn’t look back. Last year, she participated in a ChildFund-supported training for secondary school teachers on sexual reproductive health knowledge and how to deliver it effectively to students.
Before the training, Ms. Sam’s lessons were missing crucial topics and information. For instance, only two sexually transmitted diseases were taught (syphilis and gonorrhoea). But thanks to new, comprehensive, and more interactive teaching materials, she has been able to capture – and hold – their attention. Short videos and educational games like crosswords have been particularly effective in not only conveying reproductive health knowledge but in helping to strengthen communication and build trust between Ms. Sam and her students, as well as between students.
Son, 14, a student of Ms. Sam, spoke highly about the new teaching style and lessons. “Ms. Sam uses many different methods to teach, but in lessons on reproductive health, she uses videos and images to explain to us, which makes us more comfortable and feel less embarrassed than if she just asked us to answer directly.”
Ms. Sam uses many different methods to teach, but in lessons on reproductive health, she uses videos and images to explain to us, which makes us more comfortable and feel less embarrassed than if she just asked us to answer directly.
Son, 14, a student of Ms. Sam
An improved curriculum has helped both teachers and students learn more about sexual health and wellbeing, including how to have consensual relationships. Ms. Sam says she is eager to build upon what she has learnt from the training program to help her students navigate this tricky period safely.
“I will continue to research and apply knowledge of other topics to lessons and classroom activities. I will also include more group discussions to increase student involvement.”
For teens and teachers, knowledge is power
ChildFund-supported sexual reproductive health trainings for secondary school teachers in Vietnam, and a new health and wellbeing curriculum is helping teens navigate the ups and downs of puberty. Students are gaining vital knowledge and life skills to manage new experiences, feelings and situations. They even feel more comfortable asking ‘embarrassing’ questions—a small step for teens, a giant leap for teacher-kind!