Having worked in the field of health education for young people I see sex education as vital to the long term development of children. Governments always think that parents are the best people to deal with this - I have only encountered about a handful of young people in my 49 years in this work, who would agree with that.
Schools are seen as next best. IME primary schools do a pretty good job but when it comes to secondary schools the whole thing takes a serious dip. The problem lies in the fact that most teachers are women, also usually mothers and from a pretty limited social class. They had been to school, on to university or teacher training college, and straight back to school. No out in the world work experience for most of them. Their middle class and often their religious values limit their understanding of sex and young people today.
The teaching is primarily is about stopping girls getting pregnant or children getting infections. it should be about much more - like how to really enjoy a good sex life, gay, straight or bi-sexual.
One of the saddest comment I hear when running drug education sessions for teenagers is "Max, I have done sex - drugs and drink are more fun". To hear 15-18 year olds saying this makes me weep - they are missing out on one of natures most important natural activities, by switching to seeking their thrills in life from drugs of all kinds. The myths about drugs being an aphrodisiac are legion, and all just that total myths - with the exception of Viagra which no young male should be using as it can cause long term damage.
Sex education is best delivered by well trained independent specialists such as youth workers, who have no authority over the children, no parental hang ups to limit what they can discuss with children.
There is another vital issue that prevents much of the sex education being what children need. Confidentiality and the over the top use of child protection policies which make it almost impossible for an authority figure like a teacher to have open discussions with young people about sex without hearing things that they feel they must report on up the education management chain, for action. Kids know this so seldom share with teachers the sex worries they have about sexuality for instance, or incest, or abuse. Denying children the opportunity to have open and honest discussions about sex with a well trained, trusted adult forces them to seek their information elsewhere.
The BBC 'Sexperience" programme last year highlighted the fact that around 80% of children, from as young as 10 get their main sex education from pornography which they view on the net or on their mobiles. That source is utterly unreliable, is uncensored, not monitored and often portraying the most extreme forms of sexual behaviour that in no way gives a balanced accurate view of the reality of life. One programme suggested that boys would only go with girls that had shaved their private parts. Another spread all the common myths about penis size that is totally unhelpful to young men.
Good sexual health leads to good mental health. Good mental health is a powerful tool against children and young people turning to drugs to solve the problems of their lives.