High quality sex education and relationship resources in Irish-medium schools trail their English-language peers, which in turn are failing to meet human rights standards, according to a team behind the development of a new interactive video drama.
The Irish language resource, Dá mBa Mise Jack/If I were Jack, centres on the story of a teenage boy who has just found out his girlfriend is unexpectedly pregnant.
There is a focus on educating teenage males on their role in healthy, consensual sexual relationships, and "addresses the much-neglected role and perspectives of teenage men in relation to teenage pregnancy", the developers said, adding it "encourages reflection and discussion among teenage boys as well as teenage girls".
Da mBá Mise Jack was created following a report by the NI Human Rights Commission concluding relationships and sexuality education in schools does not meet human rights standards.
“In Irish-medium schools the dearth of high-quality relationships and sexuality education resources is even greater, leaving pupils in this sector at a further disadvantage compared to their English-medium peers," said Queen's University's Professor Maria Lohan, who helped develop the resource with the Council for Curriculum Assessment Northern Ireland, An Chomhairle um Oideachas Gaeltachta agus Gaelscolaíochta (COGG)) and Morrow Communications.
Professor Lohan, of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, added: "We hope this resource will mark a step-change in the provision of high-quality comprehensive sex education accessible to all students.
“Adolescent pregnancy is often thought to be an issue for young women alone, but it is crucial to engage young men early in conversations around sexual health and rights alongside young women."
The Irish-medium launch is happening after a report was published evaluating a similar resource distributed in English-language schools across the north and Britain.
Adolescent boys’ and girls’ increase their sexual health and healthcare knowledge, improved gender-equitable attitudes/positive masculinities, and increased knowledge and intentions to prevent unintended pregnancy, according to the report.
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It also demonstrated both boys and girls were significantly more likely to use contraception once they became sexually active.
Áine Walsh, head of Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund (ILBF), said: “We were delighted to be able to support this important resource.
"(It) will offer teachers and students from Irish medium schools the opportunities to discuss, in Irish, the role and perspectives of male teenagers in relation to teenage pregnancy as well as promote a broader discussion around positive sex education for young people.”
