Written by Michael Mubangizi Monday, 08 June 2009 06:38
Observer
It states that we are all born homosexuals and that it is normal for teenagers to be sexually attracted to peers of the same sex. This book was distributed to schools and now the government is struggling to withdraw it
The government is investigating circumstances under which a book with content that promotes homosexuality was distributed to peer- educators in schools.
About 15,000 copies of the controversial book, The Teenagers Toolkit, some of them in Luo, are in circulation.
An official of the Ministry of Education and Sports has told The Observer that the ministry was never part of the publication whose origin has been traced to Unicef, the UN agency that promotes education and health of children.
Of particular concern to the Ministry of Education are some sections in the book that state that it is normal for children to get sexually attracted to peers of the same sex because we are born homosexuals.
The first alarm over this book was raised about two months ago by the Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity, Dr. James Nsaba Buturo, when he told Parliament that Unicef-Uganda is one of the agencies promoting homosexuality in schools through books.
Buturo told The Observer last week that the UN agency had since apologised and offered to withdraw all copies of the book from circulation.
The apology followed a meeting that Unicef held with three ministers; of Health, of Gender, Labour and Social Development as well as Buturo.
We met them (Unicef) and they expressed regret. They also agreed to withdraw the books and work with us in producing the right material, Buturo said on phone.
The spokesman of Ministry of Education, Aggrey Kibenge, said in a separate interview, that the ministry is investigating how and where the books were distributed and parties involved. We are also advising head teachers of schools where the books were distributed to disregard and withdraw them.
The Ministry of Education had no say in its compilation and distribution, he added.
Nsaba Buturo told Parliament on April 14 that several other agencies such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Frontline Human Rights Defenders and East Horn of Africa Human Rights were promoting homosexuality.
These organisations, he alleged, were working with local groups that depend on them for funds, to spread homosexuality in Uganda.
Observer
It states that we are all born homosexuals and that it is normal for teenagers to be sexually attracted to peers of the same sex. This book was distributed to schools and now the government is struggling to withdraw it
The government is investigating circumstances under which a book with content that promotes homosexuality was distributed to peer- educators in schools.
About 15,000 copies of the controversial book, The Teenagers Toolkit, some of them in Luo, are in circulation.
An official of the Ministry of Education and Sports has told The Observer that the ministry was never part of the publication whose origin has been traced to Unicef, the UN agency that promotes education and health of children.
Of particular concern to the Ministry of Education are some sections in the book that state that it is normal for children to get sexually attracted to peers of the same sex because we are born homosexuals.
The first alarm over this book was raised about two months ago by the Minister of State for Ethics and Integrity, Dr. James Nsaba Buturo, when he told Parliament that Unicef-Uganda is one of the agencies promoting homosexuality in schools through books.
Buturo told The Observer last week that the UN agency had since apologised and offered to withdraw all copies of the book from circulation.
The apology followed a meeting that Unicef held with three ministers; of Health, of Gender, Labour and Social Development as well as Buturo.
We met them (Unicef) and they expressed regret. They also agreed to withdraw the books and work with us in producing the right material, Buturo said on phone.
The spokesman of Ministry of Education, Aggrey Kibenge, said in a separate interview, that the ministry is investigating how and where the books were distributed and parties involved. We are also advising head teachers of schools where the books were distributed to disregard and withdraw them.
The Ministry of Education had no say in its compilation and distribution, he added.
Nsaba Buturo told Parliament on April 14 that several other agencies such as Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Frontline Human Rights Defenders and East Horn of Africa Human Rights were promoting homosexuality.
These organisations, he alleged, were working with local groups that depend on them for funds, to spread homosexuality in Uganda.
