For the most important reason, high school students or teens need to be well informed before making decisions on their sexual lives. According to a report given by Guttmacher Institute in 2006, women between 15 and 19 years - who were encouraged for abstinence-only – have the high chance to get pregnant.

It makes more sense for students to be taught about sex education at high schools rather than from unreliable resources. Sex education is all about high-quality teaching and learning about wide variety of topics related to sexuality and sex activities. Broadly speaking, there are two different kinds of sex education which are provided in high schools: Abstinence-Only curriculum and Comprehensive sex education.

Abstinence-only programs encourage teenagers for abstinence until marriage and does not provide any information on the use of contraception; the “just say no” message is only one pushed on. In contrast, comprehensive sex education – as its name suggests – conveys non-judgmental messages. For instance, students are instructed that sexuality is a normal and healthy part of human life. This curriculum still argues that abstinence is the best option for youth to avoid unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases, but it kits out students to make healthy decisions from an instructed perspective. Comprehensive sex education is highly crucial to be part of a broad and balanced curriculum since it enriches teens’ skills to navigate relationships and manage their own sexual life. This curriculum, whereof, supplies shame-free topics about reproduction, contraception, and puberty. “Students need to be prepared for the world we live in and become part of boarder conversation about communication, intimacy, desire and healthy relationships”, said Catherine Brown, vice president of education policy at the Center for American Progress.

In the US, sex education is already provided in 24 states and the district of Columbia. As for American institutions, they monitor three kinds of sex education: Abstinence-Only, Abstinence plus and Comprehensive sex education. Abstinence-plus program is quite similar to the Abstinence-only one but includes some basic information about contraception. In those previous states, abstinence-only curriculum is often encouraged in high schools although it does not really meet the positive outcomes. Only 38 percent of American high schools teach all sexual topics considered essential by the Centers for Disease Control.

A vast majority of Americans support sex education, such as numerous prestigious health and medical organizations – including the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. More than 150 organizations are members of the National Coalition to support comprehensive sexuality education. Efforts and movement for change are made by Catherine Brown as well, in providing insights into sex education standards around the US.

Talking about sex or including sex education – both comprehensive and abstinence-only program – remains a taboo subject for Malagasy institutions. The good news is, there are a few organizations, like “top reseau”, which push hard to raise awareness about youth sexual health and encourage Malagasy people not to be ashamed to openly talk about sexuality. The lack of education and awareness is considered as the main reason of the high rates of unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted illnesses and infections in Madagascar.

Sources: Parents, Planned Parenthood, United Nations Population Fund