Sex education in schools: what does the new “corrected” and “more adapted” version of the program unveiled this Wednesday contain ?

The program for education in emotional, relational and sexual life (EVARS) has been revised under the impetus of the new Minister of Education, Élisabeth Borne, and will be discussed at the Higher Education Council scheduled for January 29.

A revised text, better adapted to the age of the students and their daily lives, while preserving its philosophy. BFMTV has had access to the new version of the program for education in emotional, relational and sexual life, known as Evars.

Third version

This is the third version of this program, which Élisabeth Borne, the new Minister of National Education, intends to adopt quickly. The Higher Education Council, which will meet on Wednesday, January 29, will discuss it as the first item on the agenda. On this occasion, the text will be presented to unions and parents' associations.

Élisabeth Borne specified that she would keep “the essence of the text” proposed by her predecessor Anne Genetet, but some adjustments are notable. Although this program is mandatory from kindergarten to high school, it was recalled that it applies “without replacing the role of the parents and families of the students”.

One of the changes concerns the use of the term “gender identity”, mentioned seven times in this new version compared to 17 in the previous one.

Note that “gender theory” does not appear in any of the versions, even if the notion of gender is addressed through initiatives such as the fight against stereotypes from kindergarten onwards. Furthermore, the new version no longer addresses the issue of asexuality (Editor's note: absence of sexual attraction to others).

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For the rest, the general philosophy remains unchanged. It is based on pseveral priorities: fighting against sexist and sexual violence, raising awareness of the dangers of pornography and preventing early prostitution. The program also focuses on learning about consent, preventing incest, and the risks associated with social media.

From Kindergarten to High School

The goal of the program is to introduce these concepts from a very young age, with content adapted to each stage of schooling. These lessons are then developed in depth throughout schooling. Parents are systematically informed in advance of the dates of the three mandatory annual sessions.

While the responsibility for teaching lies primarily with teachers, they may be accompanied by approved external partners at the middle and high school. The effective implementation of the program is supervised by school principals and heads of establishments.

In kindergarten, students learn about their bodies, explore the concept of intimacy, identify basic emotions, and discover the concepts of refusal and respect for consent. From the age of 4 (one year earlier than in the previous version), they also learn to recognize prohibited behavior, even from a trusted adult.

In elementary school, the emphasis is on protecting privacy, the diversity of feelings and family ties, and promoting egalitarian relationships. Starting in CM1, lessons cover puberty and topics such as bullying. In CM2, children discover the issues related to social networks and cyberbullying, and learn that periods should not be a source of mockery.

In middle school, students explore these concepts in more depth. In 6th grade, they become familiar with bodily changes and the evolution of interpersonal relationships. In 5th grade, the word “gender identity” is replaced by “gender”, and students reflect on discrimination related to sex, gender and sexual orientation.

In 4th grade, the program focuses on representations of sexuality in the public space and their egalitarian or unequal dimension. Students also learn to find out about screening and sexual health services. In 3rd grade, courses cover topics such as pornography, sexual exploitation, consent, managing desire, and respecting the refusal of others. Themes such as chemical submission, the right to abortion, and the history of the decriminalization of homosexuality are also studied.

In high school, students discover that the biological differences between men and women do not determine the roles and behaviors attributed to the “masculine” and “feminine” genders. In the second grade, they learn that biological sex may not correspond to gender identity and become familiar with concepts such as intersexuality. In the first year, they approach consent from a more complex angle, understanding that hesitation or uncertainty is equivalent to a lack of consent.

From the start of the school year

Élisabeth Borne hopes that this program will come into effect from the start of the next school year, according to our colleagues. According to Aurore Bergé, this sex education represents an “absolute necessity”.