Schools to now provide reproductive health education

ISLAMABAD: The Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training unanimously passed a bill on Friday to add reproductive health education to the school curriculum, after passing it through a majority vote.

The session was presided over by Senator Bushra Anjum Butt, Chairperson of the Senate Standing Committee on Federal Education and Professional Training, and addressed major legislative proposals and educational reforms aimed at improving the quality, accessibility, and inclusivity of Pakistan’s education system.

The Committee took up first the private member bill, moved by PPP Senator Qurat-Ul-Ain Marri, titled The Federal Supervision of Curricula, Textbooks, and Maintenance of Standards of Education (Amendment) Bill 2024.

Senator Bushra underlined the need to discuss ‘sensitive issues’ such as reproductive health in a responsible and age-appropriate way and also highlighted the need to engage parents.

Despite reservations being expressed, Senator Bushra pointed out that most of the members found the bill to be timely and essential. The bill was passed by six votes to two.

Senators Falak Naz and Kamran Murtaza rejected the Bill in toto. Senator Falak Naz, on the grounds of its phased implementation, first in Islamabad and then across the country.

Senator Kamran Murtaza was also opposed to the bill, arguing that such a thing should be talked about in secret by parents with their children and not discussed publicly.

Senator Khalida Ateeb of MQM-P and Senator Afnan Ullah of PML-N recommended introducing reproductive health education at the secondary level, at least 14 years of age.

Senator Fauzia Arshad further suggested that it must be made known that there are two genders only, to which Senator Afnan Ullah retorted that this topic must be reserved for debate at a future stage.

Senator Fauzia Arshad further explained that she would not object if reproductive health education is brought after 14 years of age, if parental permission is granted.

Following intense discussion on sensitive points, age boundaries for reproductive health education, the Bill was voted through with a majority.
Senators Afnan Ullah Khan, Syed Masroor Ahsan, Ashraf Ali Jatoi, Fawzia Arshad, and Rahat Jamali voted in favor of the bill. Senators Kamran Murtaza and Falak Naz were against it based on cultural sensitivities, with Senator Khalida Ateeb recommending its implementation be restricted to secondary school.

It was remarkable that, during an earlier session, Senators Kamran Murtaza and Gurdeep Singh had rejected the bill outright.