Coinciding with the start of their adolescence, the topic of sex education is first introduced to students in the sixth grade. They are taught the basics, mainly about the sex organs and reproductive health. This is supposed to serve as the base for what they will be learning in the next few years. Instead, the concept of sex education only gets shallower from there.

Students presently realize the importance of sex education from foreign media but have limited sources to answer their questions. Ayushma Chhatkuli, a tenth grader at St. Xavier’s, Jawalakhel, says, “I think the main problem in Nepal regarding sex education is the narrow minds of people. Parents are not comfortable talking about these things with their children and teachers are quite shy, too.”