Week 6 ahead in Hafnarfjörður's primary schools 

Week 6: The Sex Education Harvest Festival

„Week 6 is sex education in its broadest sense,“ says Kristín Blöndal Ragnarsdóttir, a sex and natural science teacher at Lækjarskóli and human rights teaching officer for the City of Hafnarfjörður. The annual Week 6 is now upon us in Hafnarfjörður's primary schools, dedicated to sexual health and sex education. It runs from 3-7 February. 

„Sex education is not only a lesson about the body and sex, but one of the best preventative measures available.,“says Kristín. A lot has changed since she started teaching sex education at Lækjarskóli in 2017. A year later, the lessons had become weekly. Pupils at other secondary schools in Hafnarfjörður heard about this and asked for the same. Now, all pupils in the town's secondary school years receive this teaching and preventative work on a weekly basis.  

What young people want

„This is being done because it's what the students want. The Youth Council requested this and the City of Hafnarfjörður responded to that request and made it a compulsory subject, which is part of being a child-friendly municipality,“ she says, as school authorities are obliged to provide sex education and prevention programmes in schools. Kristín says the success here in Hafnarfjörður has attracted attention, as not everyone has been equally successful in establishing the education.  

„I have presented this project widely, and everyone is equally surprised that we have managed it.“ The teachers in the primary schools who teach the sex education meet regularly and support one another, discussing what is going well and what could be improved. 

„Week 6 is a harvest festival that spices up the school year,“ she says.   

Kristín Blöndal Ragnarsdóttir, sex and natural science educator at Lækjarskóli and human rights teaching officer for the City of Hafnarfjörður.

Week 6, the sixth week of the year

The theme of Week 6, or the sixth week of the year, is the body and genitals. „This is sex education, not sexology,“ says Kristín, smiling.  

„But fundamentally, our young people are curious and they want to see a greater focus on sex. But we're not just talking about the body and sex, that's the least of it; we're talking about well-being, physical and mental health. But they don't feel it's sex education unless sex is talked about; that reflects this year's theme, which was chosen by young people.“  

Sex education is for all ages. „You can talk about the body in its broadest sense,“ she says. „Create a good foundation for the future. In later years, we look at sex, but that's not at all what we teach the youngest children.“ 

Good participation in Week 6

In recent years, Week 6 has been establishing itself in school activities, and a good turnout is expected this year. It will be great to see all the fantastic work that will be taking place in the town's primary schools this week, as schools are legally required to provide education on human rights, gender equality and sexual health, of which sex education is most certainly a part.  

„Sex education is one of the best preventative forms of education children receive, and it's ideal to take the opportunity to have the conversation at home as well,“ says Kristín, emphasising that all education must be tailored to the age and development of the pupils. Their welfare and well-being are always the guiding principle. 

This week, interested teachers and all staff at youth centres have received education, and students in the 10th grade will receive condoms as a gift from the City of Hafnarfjörður. Schools, youth centres, youth houses and libraries in Hafnarfjörður are actively participating in the week to raise awareness of sexual health in a variety of ways.   

„We have a fun week ahead that frames the work, Week 6,” says Kristín. „We've taken a big step forward with the teenagers by integrating the teaching into their timetable. The teaching is purposeful all year round and follows them into life. We're proud of that.“