Schools to get lessons on being gay 

31 Jan 2007- South Africa- Government is working with gay and lesbian organisations to make homosexuality part of life-orientation lessons in SA high schools

THE government is co-operating with an initiative by gay and lesbian organisations to make homosexuality part of life-orientation lessons in South African high schools.

Education authorities this week confirmed that they were working with the Gay and Lesbian Archive and OUT, an organisation representing the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community, on the project, which was aimed at addressing homophobia at schools.

The authorities said the Gauteng Education Department and the two organisations were already co- operating in a pilot project that involved educating teachers about homosexuality. The organisations are developing material to be incorporated into a pamphlet about sexuality, differences, gender identity and discrimination.

Education Director-General Duncan Hindle said the national Department of Education had left the question of participation in the programme up to the individual provinces. “These issues and other issues of exclusion and harassment are experienced differently across the country,” said Hindle.

Hindle said life-orientation lessons were identified as an appropriate vehicle for such an intervention.

He said the government would support programmes that led to greater inclusiveness at schools. “We believe they [the organisations] have a contribution to make and that’s why we said they should work with the provinces,” said Hindle.

The programme, which is still in its pilot stages, involves sensitising teachers and enlightening pupils about issues relating to homosexuality.

OUT programme manager Melanie Judge said the programme material, which was still being finalised, would be available to pupils through teachers, who had been trained to handle issues of homosexuality.

“If a kid wants to come out, has questions about his or her own sexuality or a friend’s sexuality or gender, teachers will have the learner material at hand to disseminate to them,” said Judge.

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