A pilot sex education programme run at Hoang Hoa Tham High School in central Da Nang City has provided more than 600 students with useful knowledge about the sensitive issue.

Students discuss the contents of a sex education manual with their teachers at Hoang Hoa Tham High School in the central city of Da Nang.

The programme, which has been running since 2007, is funded by Rutgers World Population Foundation. It includes a sex-education manual, Adolescent luggage, compiled with the help of a group of students.

One of these, Hoang Thanh Tung, a former student at the school, said he improved his communication skills by collecting useful information for the manual.

"At first the students felt hesitant to talk, but we gradually got used to it and became more open," he said.

Tung said student nervousness disappeared as teachers tried to create an atmosphere to engage them and listen to their opinions.

He said the involvement of students in the compilation of Adolescent luggage was necessary as its contents reflected the voice of the adolescents themselves and thus suited their needs.

"It brought us a more sensible perspective of relationships and sexuality and offered knowledge on gender equality."

Tung added that the manual helped students understand the physiological changes they went through as they matured.

However, he said the biggest challenge to the programme was to seek teachers who were both well-informed about the subject and sensitive and understanding enough to get close to the students.

Student Phan Minh Huong said she learned from the sex education lessons ways to protect herself and cleverly refuse sexual offers.

Dinh Thi Phuong, Huong\'s mother, supported the programme. She said the lessons gave young students like her daughter necessary knowledge about gender issues and reproductive health.

Phuong added that she might not be able to educate her daughter on some issues, she trusted the teachers to orient Huong\'s views.

"It\'s better that she learns these sensitive contents at school than searching the internet, reading misleading information and getting confused," said Phuong.

According to Rutgers, most of the students involved are now equipped with essential knowledge on gender issues such as body changes at puberty, sexuality, reproductive health or HIV/AIDS.

A foundation spokesman said more than 85 percent of the students taught now knew how to properly clean their genitals, use condoms, while nearly 70 percent learned how to avoid being sexually harassed.

Le An Son, a programme assistant, said that the foundation was now working with the Da Nang Department of Education and Training to prepare documents for sex education this school year.

The new programme, which will be applied to sixth grade students in 20 secondary schools and tenth grade students in 10 high schools, is being designed to suit the needs of these different age groups.

Son said the local department had approved the programme to be applied during two lessons on Thursdays at these schools.

While the foundation focuses on finalising new manuals and training teachers involved, the department helps with the drafting of documents, making plans for their implementation and having meetings with the schools involved.

She added that so far about USD200,000 had been spent on the programme.