About sexuality education

Sexuality education covers a variety of topics in accordance with the students’ age, such as knowledge of the body, body image, gender stereotypes and romantic feelings.

In particular, sexuality education allows students to:

• better understand and know themselves
• establish emotional relationships that show respect for themselves and others
• reflect on issues and develop their critical thinking skills, judgment and sense of responsibility
• develop knowledge, attitudes and skills that will be useful to them now and in the future, namely respect for diversity, self-knowledge and self-assertion, conflict resolution and consent

Sexuality education also enables students to be less vulnerable when faced with issues such as:

• sexually transmissible and blood-borne infections (STBBIs)
• discrimination based on sexual and gender diversity
• sexual violence
• violence in intimate relationships
• unplanned pregnancies

As of the 2024-2025 school year, sexuality education is integrated as a mandatory part of the students’ curriculum in two different ways. 

Most elementary and secondary students will now receive sexuality education as part of the Culture and Citizenship in Québec program. 

In complement to the Culture and Citizenship in Québec program, schools must also plan to offer certain students the compulsory sexuality education content that was introduced in 2018. 

All content in sexuality education was defined to meet the needs of children and adolescents in accordance with their age and while respecting their development. It was developed in collaboration with experts in pedagogy, sexology and health, and is based on both the recommendations of experts and recent research in sexuality education.

For more information based on your child’s grade level, refer to the different sections below.

At the preschool level, sexuality education content is recommended, but not compulsory. 

The themes addressed are:

• Sexual Growth and Body Image
• Pregnancy and Birth

From Elementary 1 to 6, all compulsory sexuality education is offered  as part of the Culture and Citizenship in Québec program. 

Students who are not taught Culture and Citizenship in Québec must still be offered the compulsory content in sexuality education (PDF 2.65 Mb).  This is the case of students with a moderate to severe or profound intellectual disability as well as students who are receiving welcoming services and support in learning French. It is the responsibility of school staff to choose instructional methods based on student needs and capacities as well as on the established sexuality education content.

At the secondary level, compulsory sexuality education is mainly offered as part of the Culture and Citizenship in Québec program, that is, to students in Secondary I, II, IV and V. 

In complement to this content, schools must also plan the compulsory content (PDF 2.61 Mb) under the theme Sexually Transmissible and Blood-Borne Infections (STBBIs) and Pregnancy that must be offered to students in Secondary II and IV.

Students in Secondary III do not have Culture and Citizenship in Québec as part of their curriculum. For this reason, schools must plan on offering the following compulsory content: 

• Identity, Gender Stereotypes and Roles, and Social Norms
• Emotional and Romantic Life
• Sexual Violence
• Sexual Behaviour
• STBBIs and Pregnancy

Students who are not taught Culture and Citizenship in Québec must still be offered the compulsory content in sexuality education. This is the case of students with a moderate to severe or profound intellectual disability, students who are receiving welcoming services and support in learning French, as well as students enrolled in a work-oriented training path. It is the responsibility of school staff to choose instructional methods based on student needs and capacities as well as on the established sexuality education content.

The Culture and Citizenship in Québec program is a compulsory component of the general education prescribed in the Québec Education Program (QEP). It is the main way through which the QEP integrates compulsory sexuality education into the school curriculum.

The Culture and Citizenship in Québec program targets the development of students’ capacity to engage in critical and nuanced reflection on different cultural realities. It builds upon two reference subject areas—sociology and ethical philosophy—in order to foster dialogue and the development of critical thinking by means of different topics, namely sexuality.

The content related to sexuality is part of a progression of learning that respects the students’ age, level of psychosexual development and needs. The topics related to sexuality are integrated into the program content. 

The compulsory content in sexuality education is part of the broad areas of learning prescribed by the Minister and includes specific educational aims. It is clearly defined for each grade level while respecting the students’ ageand level of development. The school principal and the governing board have specific roles with regard to compulsory content that are defined in sections 85 and 89 of the Education Act (EA): Content planning is carried out by the principal in collaboration with the school team and is approved by the governing board.