Former Prime Minister Alfred Sant has voted in favour of a Resolution in the European Parliament contesting the draft bill from the Polish parliament that could result in criminalising the provision of sexual education.

Essentially, the measure, billed as a “Stop Paedophilia” legislative initiative in Poland criminalises the most important branch of education. Dr Sant told the European Parliament that this is regressive and damaging to the younger generations of Poland and Europe.

It is clear that the establishment of study curricula is a matter of national competence and should remain so.

“Nevertheless, here we have an EU member state which adopts a law that is so out-of-date in concept and so wrong headed on so many fundamental aspects of different aspects of the educational experience”, Alfred Sant said.

Sant added that even for someone like him who abhors EU interventions in the internal affairs of member states, it is difficult not to express strong dissent. For here, educators are risking jail time if they teach minors safe sex practices.

When so much effort is being extended to combat sexually transmitted diseases, undesired pregnancies and domestic abuse, the measures deployed in Poland jar.

Indeed, support for this resolution is crucial in safeguarding the rights to healthcare and education, the rights of women, children, and the LGBT community.

In his conclusion, Sant said the message is clear: providing comprehensive sexuality education to young people is not a crime, but an essential part of education.