Teach boys and girls together about menstruation, UCL study argues | Schools
According to the researchers, boys and girls should still be taught in mixed classes about menstruation to help reduce the stamping, confidentiality and disinformation surrounding periods.
A new study by the University College London (UCL) claims that school children were given insufficient information about the periods, and many took only two lessons during the entire school career: one at the first level and the other in secondary school.
He argues that menstruation can affect welfare, problems with menstrual bleeding, and its impact on physical and academic performance, and focus on the basic biological facts very narrowly.
Some schools still choose to spare boys and girls to allow precise discussions, while UCL work is important to help mixed lessons to develop a wider understanding and help boys better understand and support their friends and future partners.
The study was based on a survey and focal group research among 55 women who were divided into two age groups: 18 to 25 years and 26 to 40.
Profes Joyce Harper of the UCL Women’s Health Institute, led to the study, said, “educating students about periods may now be compulsory in schools in England and Wales, but for many of them, we know that during the entire school career, we still know that these courses are still very much related to basic biological facts.
“We and women who participate in our work are much more comprehensive of menstruation, and how much effect of abnormal bleeding in a girl or woman’s welfare and academic and sports performance.”
Some participants in the study felt that mixed sessions were still necessary to improve the general understanding, although they were valued in one -sexed classes to allow students to speak more freely. “They argued that this could help men understand and support their friends and future partners through menopause.”
The latest legal government guidance about the relations, gender and health education (RSHE) published last month says that students should learn the facts about the menstrual cycle, including physical and emotional changes at the end of primary school.
At the end of secondary school, students should learn period problems such as premenstrual syndrome, heavy menstrual bleeding, endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome and menopause.
Sarah Hannafin, the head of the National Chief Teachers Association, said that teaching about periods is a vital part of health education for all students. “Although many schools can separate classes to create a safe space for discussions on such issues, mixed gender groups should be planned because it is vital for students to understand the experiences of others,” he said.
Pepe Di’isio Secretary General of the Association of School and College Leaders said: uz We fully support the comprehensively taught to boys and girls that go beyond biological facts and go beyond the wider effects on welfare.
An educational department spokesman said: “Understanding of menstruation is an important part of growth, so we have brought a new RSHE curriculum next year, with both physical and emotional changes, as well as an open guide that they should be taught from endometriosis to heavy menstrual bleeding issues.”
