The Ministry of Health’s National STD/AIDS Control Programme has recommended integrating HIV/STI prevention measures—including condom use, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP), and Post-Exposure Prophylaxis (PEP)—into Sri Lanka’s school curriculum.
In response, the National Institute of Education (NIE) plans to introduce these prevention measures into the Grade 10 Science textbook. The initiative aims to provide age-appropriate, evidence-based knowledge to students, addressing gaps in the current syllabus.
Consultant Venereologist Dr. Vino Dharmakulasinghe told the Daily Mirror that existing Science and Health & Physical Education textbooks only mention that HIV can be prevented through “responsible sexual behaviour,” without detailing specific biomedical prevention methods. She added that a recent review by the IEC, Advocacy, and Condom Promotion Committee of the National AIDS Council highlighted that this lack of detail leaves students inadequately informed about key prevention strategies.
Dr. Dharmakulasinghe noted that findings from the 2024 Global School Health Survey (GSHS) underline the urgency of reform. Only 63% of students reported having heard of HIV or AIDS, down from 77% in 2016, while the proportion of students taught how to avoid HIV infection in class fell from 67.1% in 2016 to 44.2% in 2024. Alarmingly, 4.6% of students admitted to having engaged in sexual relationships, highlighting the need for timely education.
To address these concerns, the Health Promotion Bureau is developing a new Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) package, Let’s Learn Life, aligned with UNESCO guidelines. Based on a bio-psychosocial model, the program is designed to equip students with age-appropriate knowledge and skills before they encounter behavioural risks. In 2024, STD clinics conducted 264 school health programs, reaching more than 54,000 students nationwide.
In addition to curriculum reform, the Ministry of Education plans to prioritize teacher training. Teachers and school counsellors will undergo both pre-service and in-service training on HIV prevention strategies, enabling them to deliver lessons confidently and consistently.
The Ministry of Education has yet to respond to these developments.
