Subjects of sex education in Azerbaijan

— Sir, we got this wrong.

— Ask your mother to explain at home. Embarrassing!

Grade 11 Ali Lahimri (pseudonym – Ed) has this regrettable conversation with his teacher. He says the subject of sex education in Azerbaijan is not taught in schools. The teacher treats the matter indifferently, and his peers end up believing all sorts of things about it.

“They watch porn movies and teach others how to be a ‘man’.”

Ali came to this school when he was in seventh grade. Despite his efforts, he found it difficult to adapt to his new surroundings.

“When I came to this school, I realized that the environment is different. Most boys skip classes and try to be tough. ” Ali says.

Concerned about these stereotypes among young people, Ali says even adults do.

“I once heard a music teacher say to a boy during a lesson, ‘Why are you whining like a homo?’ Education is the value that binds us to one institution.” Here, teachers treat students based on personal stereotypes. ”

Remembering the experience, Ali smiles at first but then sighs in regret. He says his peers have been adversely affected by the carelessness of his parents and teachers, and he himself faces pressure from his peers.

“Boys are more sensitive to sexual issues than girls. When I don’t participate in these conversations, they call me “p-ssy” or gay.

I don’t know the girl’s situation, but the boy watches porn and presents himself to others as the man in the video. I am teased. she’s really depressed ”

Ali believes that the reason for all this is the lack of young men’s awareness of the issue of sex education, both on the part of schools and parents.

“There is an anatomy section in any biology textbook. This section provides information about the structure of the male and female reproductive organs. The teacher passed this paragraph in silence. Without saying a word. And why? I asked her if she hadn’t passed that paragraph, and she angrily replied, literally: “Let Mommy teach you at home.” In class, only 1-2 people helped me. And the boys started joking: “Ali, if you want to learn, we will teach you.”

We don’t have such a subject in our school, but we believe that 11th grade students should have a conversation with a doctor or psychologist at least once a month.

“I am already a graduate. and they also saw me as a “man”. If we boys are like this, I have no idea what girls are like. I heard that some people get pregnant without knowing it. ”

“Gynecologists have told girls about menstruation, and that’s it.”

Grade 11 Leyla Hajiyeva believes learning about these topics at school will help girls who cannot talk about them with family and friends.

“I, like most of my peers, cannot talk about such topics in the family. They only explain things to us after our first period. Mothers are content with just the knowledge that girls need in that case.

She laments teachers who refuse to talk about these topics, but she understands them.

“In our school, we didn’t talk about sex education. Our teachers told us that boys started making fun of girls when they talked about these topics.

One day, a girls-only event was held at school. And the gynecologist provided some superficial information. After that incident, we didn’t talk to anyone about it. ”

“An unwritten mental rule blocks the process”

Education expert Ermin Nuri I believe it is unlikely that a separate subject on sex education and gender topics will be taught in general education schools in Azerbaijan.

“Suppose the Ministry of Education takes this step. Immediately there is a problem with the way it is approached. Few teachers can teach the subject of sex education. and can teach the subject.But this is not a good way.The field requires specialized knowledge.These teachers are You have to be psychologically prepared from a physical point of view.” he says.

Elmin Nouri sees sex education as a combination of other major subjects rather than a separate subject.

“This subject combines important disciplines such as sociology, psychology and biology. Unfortunately, based on our spiritual approach, it is unlikely that we will teach another such subject.” There are some questions that people are interested in.Which class should this training start from and what aspect should the education approach? ?”

High school biology textbooks reflect these topics, but sometimes do not. The teacher either doesn’t understand the topic or is embarrassed to talk about it. But there is nothing wrong with this subject. It’s just an unwritten mental rule that prevents it. ”

‘Teachers aren’t far from gender stereotypes’

According to gender expert Ainur Beysarova, Azerbaijan is a party to international treaties on human rights. But teachers who aren’t far from gender stereotypes complicate matters.

“If there is such a passage [on the subject of sex] In textbooks, teachers have to go through it. At the same time, teachers should take into account the psychology of adolescents who are going through a transitional period and create conditions in which students can easily acquire this knowledge. By doing so, students can actively participate in the discussion and find themselves. These steps show that teachers are not reinforcing gender stereotypes. If you hold seminars and trainings with teachers on a regular basis, I think this subject will become easier for you. ”

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According to Ali, the lack of education of Azerbaijani women on such issues also harms family foundations. He wants the fertility rate of young women to fall, which requires changes in the education system.

“There’s a page on Instagram called ‘Girls’ Association.’ If you look at this page, you’ll see that even women in their 30s don’t know what masturbation is. They don’t know anything about preventing pregnancy.” They were not taught this either at school or at home because of the stereotype of I sincerely hope so.”