The trouble with sexuality education in Nepal is too much of it goes untaught
Summary
Comprehensive sexuality education in Nepal is uneven and often skipped, leaving students with patchy knowledge about puberty, consent and reproductive health. Teachers, parents and officials say the subject remains dependent on individual initiative, limited training and optional status in higher grades.
Key Points
- Nepal’s comprehensive sexuality education is included in the curriculum through grade 8, but in many schools it is taught only superficially or not at all.
- At grades 9 and 10, Health, Physical Education is optional, which means many schools do not assign dedicated teachers or regular classes.
- Teachers often lack training and hesitate to teach sensitive topics such as menstruation, consent and sexual and reproductive health.
- Experts and officials argue the subject should be made compulsory and better supported through training, materials and monitoring.
