Shenali D Waduge

Sri Lanka’s Education Ministry is preparing to implement educational reforms that were not designed by local experts and do not reflect Sri Lanka’s cultural, religious, or societal context. Instead, the proposed syllabus follows a Western, globally standardised model built around lifestyles, ideologies, and norms that differ greatly from Sri Lankan values. As a result, the syllabus is unsuitable for Sri Lankan children. Topics that were previously introduced at appropriate ages, such as in Grade 9 under Health Education, are now being proposed for children as young as 5 years old.

https://www.unfpa.org/sites/default/files/pub-pdf/ITGSE.pdf

These include content that is:

• Irrelevantfor early childhood development
• Potentially harmful, promoting sexual autonomy, gender identity exploration, and rights-based sexuality
• Contrary to cultural, religious, and family valuesthat guide child upbringing in Sri Lanka

Implementing such a syllabus without contextual adaptation risks

• Early sexualisation of children
• Confusion and anxiety
• Undermining parental authority
• Exposure to ideas children are not developmentally ready for

Sri Lanka must ensure that educational reforms protect children, uphold local values, and prioritise child development rather than importing frameworks incompatible with our civilizational heritage.

Briefing on ITGSE CSE Syllabus: Key Concerns for Sri Lanka

Source: ITGSE Introduction (Pages 12–14)

1. Purpose

The ITGSE promotes a global model of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) aimed at governments, ministries, schools, teachers, and NGOs.

2. Structure

Provides a full framework of concepts and topics,  learning goals (5–18+), and guidance for planning and implementation.

3. Reason for Revision
   Updated to reflectglobal trends,rights-based approaches, gender ideologies, and modern sexual and reproductive health (SRH)/HIV data.

4. Development Process

Created by UN agencies and international experts as an international standard, designed to influence national curricula worldwide.

5. Key Concern for Sri Lanka

• ITGSE promotessexual decision-making and sexual rights for minors, including children aged 5–8+.
• Conflict with Sri Lanka’s cultural, religious, and legal frameworks:early sexual autonomy is developmentally inappropriate, potentially causing confusion, anxiety, and premature sexual maturity.

6. Problematic Areas

• Treats children assexual decision-makers.
• Focuses onrights-based sexuality instead of responsibility-based morality.
• Promotessexual behaviours, gender identity, and romantic autonomy inconsistent with Sri Lankan culture.
• Conflicts withconstitutional protections of religion and moral teachings.
• Undermines parental authority.
• Goes beyond biology intoabortion, adoption, sexual feelings, and pleasure, which are not age-appropriate.
• Children under 12 arenot cognitively or emotionally prepared to digest these subjects.
• Early sexual discussions mayincrease experimentation through peer pressure.
• Digital platforms mayamplify unsafe content, a risk seen in multiple international reports.
• Educators may faceethical and legal dilemmas.
• The broader promotion ofsexual rights, autonomy, and gender ideologies threatens family and religious values.
• The curriculum introduces sensitive anatomical topics too early, conflicting with Sri Lankan cultural and religious norms. It risks exposing children to content they are unprepared for emotionally and psychologically and may undermine traditional family-based teachings and values.

7. Overall Assessment

• Appropriate:Only basic health, hygiene, safety, and child-protection topics.
• Inappropriate:All content related to sexual behaviour, sexual rights, autonomy, and gender identity is culturally, legally, and developmentally incompatible with Sri Lanka’s norms.

The curriculum introduces sensitive anatomical topics too early, conflicting with Sri Lankan cultural and religious norms. It risks exposing children to content they are unprepared for emotionally and psychologically & undermine traditional family-based teachings & values.

2 – Understanding Comprehensive Sexuality Education

Pages 15–18

2.1 What is CSE?

• Curriculum-based teaching about sexuality, relationships, values, and rights
• Covers biological, emotional, social, legal aspects
• Promotes gender equality, empowerment, sexual rights, personal autonomy
• Emphasizes gender identity, sexual orientation
• Frames adolescents as capable of autonomous sexual decision-making

Content irrelevant to Sri Lanka:

CSE concepts conflict with Sri Lanka’s laws, religion, and cultural foundations:

Sexual rights for minors, autonomy, gender identity themes conflict with Penal Code, religious teachings, family norms

• Developmental:Minors <12 not ready for autonomy-based sexual decisions
• Peer pressure:Peer-led discussions may normalize sexual experimentation
• Online risk:Access to external information can increase grooming/exploitation risk
• Local evidence gap:Western studies may not apply to Sri Lankan context

2.2 Other Key Considerations

• Shift from traditional sex education to rights-based CSE
• LGBTQIA+, sexual diversity, gender expression, pleasure taught
• Encourages challenging traditional beliefs and parental authority
• Advocates access to contraception, SRH services, sexual information

While – Safety, personal boundaries, anti-abuse education are covered.

Content irrelevant to Sri Lanka:

• Promotes sexual autonomy, LGBTQIA+ normalization, contraception access for minors
• Encourages questioning parents and cultural norms
• Civilizational/cultural erosion:
  • Threat to family and Eastern moral systems
  • Teacher risk:Educators face legal and ethical challenges delivering rights-based content
  • Peer influence:Minors pressured into sexualized behaviour

Limited usefulness (biological knowledge & safety), majority incompatible with Sri Lanka’s laws, religion, and civilizational values.

Sri Lanka’s Reality

Only a small portion of CSE (basic biology and safety) is useful.
The majority of content is culturally incompatible, legally questionable, morally inappropriate, and developmentally unsuitable for Sri Lankan children.

3 – Young People’s Health and Well-being

Pages 21–25

3.1 SRH Needs

• Covers puberty, menstruation, ejaculation, reproduction
• Contraception, HIV/STI prevention, sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual rights, pleasure

Sri Lanka Relevance:
Puberty, menstruation, abuse prevention, STI awareness

Content irrelevant to Sri Lanka:

Sexual rights, autonomy, LGBTQIA+ inclusion, contraception/pleasure education

• Developmental:Early sexual exposure harmful under 12
• Peer influence:Risk of premature sexual experimentation
• Online risk:Digital content exposure
• Teacher/legal risk:Delivering sexual content could breach Penal Code
• Civilizational erosion: Contradicts family and religious ethics

3.2 Other Issues (Mental Health, Bullying, Violence)

• Problematic: Empowerment framing to challenge norms, gender roles, sexual autonomy

3.3 Specific Subgroup Needs

• Rights-based sexual autonomy for adolescents incompatible

Sri Lanka Concern

This assumes adolescents are sexual agents with autonomy, which is:

• Legally incompatible
• Religiously unacceptable
• Culturally inappropriate
• Developmentally unsuited to minors

Overall Assessment of Section 3

Incompatible / harmful components:
• Rights-based sexual autonomy
• Contraception and pleasure education
• LGBTQIA+ and gender identity instruction
• Adolescent sexual rights frameworks

The rights-based sexual agenda of ITGSE directly conflicts with Sri Lanka’s cultural, religious, legal, and civilizational foundations.

4 – Evidence Base

Pages 27–31

• Evidence-informed globally: SRH knowledge, STIs/unintended pregnancy
• Content is Western-centric, difficult to transfer to Sri Lanka
• Supports sexual activity, autonomy, LGBTQIA+ inclusion for minors — incompatible locally

Why the Evidence Base cannot be applied to Sri Lanka

1. Western-Centric Research

The evidence used to justify CSE:

• Normalizes adolescent sexual activity
  • Assumes gender identity and LGBTQIA+ inclusion as universal norms
  • Promotes sexual autonomy as a right”
  • Encourages early contraceptive access
  • Frames adolescents as independent decision-makers

These assumptions do not match Sri Lankan society, where:

• Religion plays a central role
  • Family structures emphasize obedience, modesty, discipline
  • Childhood is protected from sexual exposure
  • Minors are not treated as autonomous sexual beings
  • Law prohibits sexual activity under 16

2. Cultural Mismatch with Sri Lankan Values

Most positive outcomes” cited relate to:

• Increased sexual activity with contraception
  • Improved comfort with identity exploration”
  • Increased LGBTQIA+ inclusion
  • Earlier access to sexual health services

All of which conflict with:

• Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian teachings
  • Parental expectations
  • Social norms promoting responsibility over personal autonomy
  • Legal prohibitions on sexual activity among minors

These findings cannot be transferred to an Asian, religious, family-centred society.

3. Evidence Promotes Sexual Activity, Not Prevention

Studies show:

• Adolescents engage in more sexual behaviourwhen exposed to rights-based CSE
  • Reduced harm” becomes the focus, not prevention of early sexual behaviour
  • More young people identify with sexual/gender diversity after exposure

This model is entirely incompatible with Sri Lanka’s legal and moral framework.

4. Risks Ignored in the Western Evidence Base

The global studies do not address:

• Online grooming in developing countries
  • Porn exposure following classroom curiosity
  • Social media sexualization
  • Peer pressure dynamics in conservative societies
  • Unsafe influence when teachers are forced to discuss sensitive topics
  • Legal risks for teachers if minors disclose inappropriate experiences

Sri Lanka cannot adopt foreign models that ignore local risk factors.

While global evidence may offer limited value for biological knowledge and basic health awareness, it cannot justify introducing rights-based sexual content to Sri Lankan children.

Sri Lanka must adopt an evidence base that:

• Respects cultural values
• Protects minors
• Aligns with the Penal Code
• Upholds religious teachings
• Strengthens family authority

The Western evidence model used in ITGSE is incompatible with Sri Lanka’s civilizational heritage and societal structure, and cannot guide national educational reform.

5 – Key Concepts & Learning Objectives

Pages 33–73

The ITGSE framework divides learning goals into four age groups:

• Ages 5–8
  •Ages 9–12
  • Ages 12–15
  • Ages 15–18+

Across all groups, the syllabus covers eight Key Concepts:

1. Relationships
2. Values, Rights & Culture
3. Gender
4. Violence
5. Skills
6. Body & Development
7. Sexuality & Sexual Behaviour
8. Sexual & Reproductive Health (SRH)

What Is Irrelevant or Dangerous for Sri Lanka

A substantial portion of the ITGSE Key Concepts promotes content that is:

1. Culturally incompatible

• Sexual behaviour
  • Masturbation
  • Contraception education for minors
  • LGBTQIA+ identities, gender expression, queer theory
  • Abortion, adoption, surrogacy
  • Romantic and sexual autonomy for minors

These are Western social constructs and do not align with Sri Lanka’s religious, cultural, or family values.

2. Developmentally inappropriate

Children aged 5–8 cannot cognitively or emotionally process:

• Sexual feelings
  • Gender identity theory
  • Sexual rights
  • Masturbation
  • Romantic autonomy
  • Pleasure” content

Introducing these topics at early stages risks:

• Confusion
  • Anxiety
  • Premature sexual awareness
  • Curiosity-based experimentation

3. Legally incompatible with Sri Lanka

Teaching minors about:

• Sexual autonomy
  • Contraception
  • Abortion
  • Consent in sexual relationships

…can contradict or complicate:

• Penal Code protections for minors
  • Laws against sexual activity under 16
  • Mandatory reporting obligations
  • Child protection responsibilities of schools and teachers

Schools could become legally vulnerable.

4. Socially harmful and peer-driven

Early exposure to sexual topics can:

• Normalize experimentation
  • Increase peer pressure
  • Encourage identity exploration due to social contagion
  • Create vulnerability to online grooming

These outcomes have been documented globally, especially where CSE is rolled out without cultural safeguards.

5. Threatening to civilizational and religious values

Core concerns include:

• Teaching children that values” and culture” are personal choices
  • Encouraging them to question family and religious teachings
  • Presenting sexuality as a central part of child identity
  • Normalizing Western relationship structures
  • Undermining Buddhist, Hindu, Muslim, and Christian frameworks of moral conduct

This is inconsistent with Sri Lanka’s model of character development, modesty, family unity, and moral responsibility.

Only life skills, hygiene, safety, and age-appropriate reproductive knowledge align with Sri Lanka’s educational goals.

All content related to:

• sexual behaviour
  • sexual rights
  • sexual autonomy
  • masturbation
  • contraception for minors
  • LGBTQIA+/gender ideology
  • abortion-related information
  • romantic autonomy at young ages

…is culturally, legally, and developmentally incompatible with Sri Lankan society.

The Key Concepts section demonstrates that the ITGSE model is not a neutral health syllabus—it is a rights-based sexual and gender ideology framework, and therefore unsuitable for Sri Lankan children.

6 – Building Support & Planning

Pages 81–86

The ITGSE emphasizes a comprehensive rollout strategy involving multiple sectors and stakeholders. However, several components of this implementation framework pose serious concerns for Sri Lanka due to cultural, legal, and developmental realities.

6.1 Multisectoral Coordination Requirements

The ITGSE model requires:

• Government ministries and state institutions
  • Schools, teachers, and principals
  • Healthcare and social services
  • NGOs and INGOs
  • Community networks
  • Youth groups

This wide network increases the likelihood of external influence, particularly from INGOs advocating rights-based sexuality frameworks that conflict with Sri Lanka’s values and legal structure.

6.2 Teacher Training and Curriculum Delivery Risks

The syllabus requires teachers to be trained to deliver:

• Sexual rights and autonomy
  • Gender identity and LGBTQIA+ content
  • Contraception and SRH services for minors
  • Sexual decision-making frameworks

Risks for Sri Lankan teachers:

• Legal conflicts:Teaching minors about sexual autonomy and contraception can contradict the Penal Code and child protection laws.
  • Ethical dilemmas: Teachers may be forced to promote values they personally and culturally do not accept.
  • Professional liability: If a child is harmed or misled due to the content, schools and teachers may bear responsibility.

6.3 Parental and Community Engagement Concerns

The ITGSE requires that schools build support” by engaging with:

• Parents
  • Community leaders
  • Religious institutions

However, the framework does not allow for rejection of the content. Instead, it seeks:

• Parental acceptance of rights-based sexuality models
  • Normalization of gender identity theory
  • Encouragement of youth autonomy over parental guidance

This contradicts Sri Lanka’s cultural foundation where parents are primary moral and educational guardians.

6.4 Promotion of Mandatory Rollout

The model is clearly designed for:

• Full national adoption
  • Compulsory implementation
  • Uniform teaching from ages 5 to 18

Sri Lanka risks losing control over its own educational sovereignty, with a globalized Western syllabus overriding local needs and beliefs.

6.5 Peer-Led and Youth-Led Sexual Education Risks

The ITGSE encourages youth activists and peer educators to lead discussions on:

• Sexual rights
  • Gender identity
  • Sexual behaviour
  • Contraception and access to services

This creates several dangers:

• Peer pressure leading to early experimentation
  • Normalization of sexual topics in school environments
  • Vulnerability to misinformation and online sexualized content
  • Outsourcing moral instruction to untrained youth facilitators

6.6 Digital and Online Resource Risks

The ITGSE explicitly encourages digital learning platforms for sexual content.

Risks for Sri Lankan children:

• Exposure to explicit or adult material
  • Grooming and exploitation through online channels
  • Difficulty in monitoring child access
  • Western-based content overriding cultural boundaries
  • Children receiving information without parental supervision

6.7 Cultural and Civilizational Conflict

The ITGSE’s implementation model is fundamentally rights-based, promoting:

• Sexual autonomy for minors
  • Individual choice over cultural tradition
  • Gender ideology over biological reality
  • Reduction of parental authority
  • Replacement of moral education with rights-based identity narratives

This contradicts all major religious and cultural traditions in Sri Lanka:

• Buddhism – emphasizes restraint, duties, and moral discipline
  • Hinduism – upholds modesty, purity, and family guidance
  • Islam – prohibits premarital sexual autonomy
  • Christianity – opposes early sexualization and promotes chastity

While infrastructure, safety training, and general life skills could be supported, the core ITGSE objectives—sexual rights, autonomy, contraception for minors, and gender ideology—are fundamentally incompatible with Sri Lanka’s cultural, legal, and civilizational foundations.

The proposed implementation strategy risks:

• Cultural erosion
  • Parental displacement
  • Teacher vulnerability
  • Legal violations
  • Increased online risks
  • Peer-led normalization of sexual behaviour

Sri Lanka must exercise extreme caution before allowing any external framework to shape its national curriculum

7 – Delivering Effective CSE Programmes

Pages 89–98

• Peer-led methods, sexual service integration, monitoring sexual behaviour

Developmental: Early sexual discussion unsuitable for children <12
Peer influence: Risks early sexual experimentation
Online/digital: Exposure to unsafe content
Teacher/legal risk: Ethical/legal conflicts if teaching sexual content
Civilizational erosion: Full adoption threatens family and cultural values

Skills and life skills training are positive; sexual rights, peer-led sexual education, and sexual service access are incompatible with Sri Lanka’s legal, cultural, religious, and social framework.

What the ITGSE promotes:
• Peer-led methods involving minors discussing sexual topics
• Integration with sexual and reproductive health services
• Monitoring of students’ sexual behaviour
• Digital/online learning platforms

Irrelevant / Incompatible with Sri Lanka:
• Peer-led sexual education (risks normalizing sexual experimentation)
• Sexual behaviour tracking/monitoring
• Linkages to contraceptive/abortion services for minors
• Digital/online content that may expose children to sexual material

Risks:
• Developmental: Children below 12 should not be exposed to sexual discussions
• Peer influence: Peer-led sessions may encourage curiosity or experimentation
• Teacher/legal risk: Teachers risk violating Penal Code provisions by teaching sexual content to minors
• Online risk: Digital modules can direct children toward unsafe or explicit material
• Civilizational erosion: Undermines family guidance, cultural norms, and religious values

Bottom line:
While life-skills-based delivery is positive, the ITGSE model’s sexual-rights framing, peer-led sexual education, integration with sexual services, and online exposure are not compatible with Sri Lanka’s legal, cultural, religious, or social environment.

Over 60% of the ITGSE Syllabus Is Sexuality-, Gender-, or LGBTQIA+-Related — Not Relevant to Sri Lanka

A review of the ITGSE learning objectives (Pages 33–73) shows that approximately 62–65% of the entire syllabus focuses on sexuality, gender ideology, sexual behaviour, sexual rights, and LGBTQIA+ content.

These include:
• Sexual behaviours and sexual feelings
• Sexual rights and autonomy for minors
• Masturbation
• Contraception and abortion
• Romantic and sexual relationships
• Sexual decision-making
• Sexual orientation
• Gender identity, gender expression, and transgender content
• LGBTQIA+ inclusion across all age categories
• Pleasure” and comfort with sexual feelings”
• Access to sexual and reproductive health services
• Challenging cultural/religious norms regarding sexuality

Only 35–38% of the content relates to neutral or universally acceptable themes, such as:
• Hygiene
• Puberty basics (appropriate only for older age groups)
• Safety and abuse prevention
• Social-emotional skills
• Communication and respect
• Basic reproductive biology

This means the majority of the ITGSE is not academic, not scientific biology, and not development-focused—it is a rights-based sexual and gender ideology framework designed for Western societies.

Sri Lanka has no justification for Gender Identity Education in Schools

A further critical point must be emphasized:

Sri Lanka does not have a population of gender-questioning children to justify the introduction of gender identity, gender expression, or LGBTQIA+ content into the school system. This is not a documented national issue, nor is it a public health concern requiring nationwide intervention. Introducing these Western-origin concepts to all children from ages 5–18 would artificially create confusion where none exists and even encourage children to question their gender & identity.

What adults choose in their private adult lives does not require full-scale institutionalization in the school curriculum, especially when it conflicts with Sri Lanka’s religious, cultural, and legal foundations. Children should not be taught concepts that have no relevance to their childhood, lived reality, disrupt their developmental stages, or impose adult ideological debates onto their formative years.

Sri Lanka’s education system must remain focused on child development, safety, academic learning, and moral grounding—not on importing foreign identity frameworks that have no organic presence or demand within Sri Lankan society.

Shenali D Waduge