The new Called to Love programme is intended to be an alternative to “artificial contraception” by promoting marriage and the sanctity of human life, reports the Scottish Sunday Herald.
A fund of £170,000 has been earmarked by ministers to the outcry of campaigners who fear that the Scottish Executive is bringing in a two-tier sex education system by the back door.
Called to Love will place the teachings of the Catholic Church “at the heart” of the guidance it will bring to pupils on sex and relationships when it is launched this summer.
Catholic education leaders elaborated to the Sunday Herald that the Church sex education programme would emphasise the postponement of sex until marriage and discourage pupils from having extra-marital sex by way of condoms and other contraceptives.They also said that abortion would not be an issue discussed under the programme as it “isn’t part of sex education”.
Michael McGrath, director of SCES, said the new programme would entrench Christian views of spirituality.
He said: “We will be giving information to young people about what contraception is ... but we won’t be promoting forms of artificial contraception. Abortion isn’t part of sex education, but clearly any Catholic school will be promoting the sanctity of human life and would not be promoting abortion.”
The new programme will be tested out on a number of secondary schools in Edinburgh and Inverclyde before the decision is made to expand it across Scotland.
Called to Love is being drawn up by Healthy Respect and the Scottish Catholic Education Service (SCES) and will be the first Healthy Respect-based programme to be introduced to Scottish Catholic schools.
Accompanying materials, a website and training for staff will also be provided for those who will teach the abstinence programme to the youngsters.
The introduction of the new abstinence programme follows a challenge by the Catholic Church in Scotland last year to Health Minister Andy Kerr’s promise to run the same guidance on sex and relationships throughout Scottish schools.
Leading Catholics campaigned against the proposal warning that head teachers could block “unsuitable” family planning workers from joining in the sex education classes.
