(updated 25 March 2003)
The systematic and legislative educational changes in Slovenia, started in 1992, include the intensive reform of curriculum contents (1996 - 1999) based on the principles identified in 'White Paper on Education in the Republic of Slovenia' (1995). One of the main goals stated in this programmatic document is 'to educate for mutual tolerance, raise the awareness of the equality of rights for men and women, respect for human diversity and mutual co-operation, respect for children's and human rights and fundamental freedoms, and foster equal opportunities for both sexes and thereby the opportunity to live in a democratic society' (***, 2001k). These proclaimed educational aims were included in guidelines for programmatic and curricular changes in relation to gender equality perspective. The specific curricular commissions were required to:
'Systematically incorporate the contents and topics relating to the differences between the sexes in the subject area (special attention had to be paid to the history curriculum and the issue of the absence of women from the history of mankind and from the teaching of history); draft suitable recommendations for the writing of textbooks, manuals, and didactic tools from the point of view of content, language, illustration, exercise, etc. (e.g., ensure equal representation of male and female identification figures); organize, in accordance with didactic recommendations, regular discussion groups and instruction, also in single sex groups, promote writing about the topic of gender roles and stereotypes, sexual harassment, violence, etc.; provide systematic information for parents and the public and alert them to the issue of gender-specific education' (***, 2001h).
A following review offers an example of how some of these educational goals and recommendations were realized in a couple of concrete curricula and syllabi.
The primary schools' curriculum for 'Citizenship education and ethics' (CEE), in its elective part, offers the topic of 'relations between the sexes' (***, 1999e). In the CEE's syllabus of obligatory themes for 7th grade, there are no explicitly stated educational goals, contents, or knowledge requirements that would answer to the concept of gender equality. However, topics important for gender equality education could be identified in some of the proposed themes and operational goals. The teaching plan for 'family' theme embraces following topics: different family types; cultural and historical differences; marriage and divorce; family roles and relations; family (in)equality; privacy and personal integrity; family and sexual violence; tolerance and responsibility. All of these issues should be additionally analyzed and discussed applying gender perspective, and relating relevant concepts to students' experiences. In addition, a teaching plan for educational theme 'ideals and authorities' also opens up possibilities to emphasize the gender dimension of the suggested contents. For example, educational goals in relation to adolescence, peer-groups, and peer-pressures, should involve raising students' awareness of existing gender double standards in different social roles, expectations, and behavioral models for girls and boys. Moreover, applying gender analysis within 'media and information' theme should provide students with some important insights in regards to role models and stereotypes presented in contemporary pop-culture. The gender equality approach should be also integrated within educational theme 'the question of democracy' (in the syllabus for 8th grade) that contains issues such as political participation, decision-making processes, human rights, and civil society. Additional strategy in advocating for the implementation of gender equality relevant contents should be to frame the issue within the discourse of human rights and/or within various anti-discrimination discourses. At the next educational level, the draft sociology curriculum for gymnasiums, as a part of educational theme 'social differences and inequalities' includes the topic of 'sex (gender) and sex difference' (***, 1998b). Proposed educational contents are: the notion of sex/gender; sex and culture (the anthropology of sexes); gender and education, social construction of gender hierarchy, reproduction or change of gender relations; different theories on sex/gender and sex difference; gender and politics, religion, class; women and men today.
One of the focuses of the Slovenian curricular reform during the Nineties was the area of health care (***, 2001k). A special curricular commission was established in order to formulate a proposal for 'Health Education in the Primary School Curriculum' (***, 1999f). The suggested objectives for 'education for healthy sexual life' - stated as one of the components of this proposal - include: to inform students about sexual customs in different time periods and different cultures and in that way to provide the basis for the respect of differences; to increase knowledge; to attain correct use of received information; to inform one's own decision-making (the right to decide about one's own body); to encourage responsible behavior; to develop positive attitudes and values about sexuality (decreasing guilt, fear, misuse, accusations); to inform communication about sexuality issues; and to develop the sense of self-respect and the respect for the others. Following educational contents are proposed: human relationships; growing up; family planning; sexual relations; different types of sexual behavior; risky sexual behavior; STIs; problems in partnership relations; making one's own decisions about one's own body; and the issue of professional help. Each of these themes is further developed through specific topics. In addition, the list of recommended literature is provided. In secondary schools, health education is one of the compulsory optional subjects for gymnasiums, but planned for not more than 15 hours during all four years. The syllabus for health education consists of following educational contents: health concepts; youth and health; life styles, life conditions and culture; health situation in Slovenia; and health care (***, 1998c). Educational theme 'life styles, life conditions and culture' involves teaching about topics such as sexuality and interpersonal relations, family planning, pregnancy and birth, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, pornography, STIs and protection, and sexual orientation. According to my contacts, some of the reasons for the identified lack of systematic quality in the implementation process of these contents are: overloaded timetables; insufficient training of teachers; undeveloped interdisciplinary approach; and the lack of better cooperation between the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health.
Besides health education some SE contents are integrated in biology classes.
As stated in 'Biology Curriculum for Primary Schools', in the syllabus for 9th
grade (age of 14!), as a part of educational topic 'genital organs and reproduction'
students are expected to learn about following issues: genital organs, reproductive
process, STIs, contraception, family planning, and relations between sexes (***,
1998d). In the gymnasiums' curriculum for the same subject, as a part of educational
module 'human biology, human evolution, and human genetics', relevant contents
are presented in almost the same order and scope as in the primary schools'
curriculum, the only addition being the topic of puberty (***, 1998e). The didactical
instructions for biology teachers recommend that special attention should be
paid to the context of health education, because of a cross-curricular coordination
between these two subject areas.
During this study visit in Ljubljana, my activities included meetings with the following key-informants and resource persons:
* Terrice Bassler, Open Society Education Programs - South East Europe (OSEP-SEE)
* Fani Ceh, the National Education Institute
* Milica Antic-Gaber, the Faculty of Philosophy
* Tanja Rener, the Faculty of Social Sciences
* Metka Mencin-Ceplak, the Faculty of Social Sciences
* Majda Hrženjak, the Peace Institute
* Roman Kuhar, the Peace Institute
* Katja Zabukovec-Kerin, the Association for Non-violent Communication