Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Health and Family Life Education Curriculum - Grade 6

This curriculum is based on the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Health And Family Life Education (HFLE) Regional Curriculum Framework (2022). The framework emphasizes a life skills-based approach to health and well-being, focusing on four core themes:

Theme 1: Self & Interpersonal Relationships

Regional Standard 1: Examine the nature of self, family, school and community in order to build strong, healthy relationships.

• Core Outcomes:
• Demonstrate an understanding of a healthy concept of self.
• Examine the influences that impact on relationships with family, peers, and others.

Regional Standard 2: Develop knowledge and skills to respond to risky situations that threaten their health and well-being.

• Core Outcomes:
• Demonstrate skills to cope with risky/unfavorable situations at home, school, and in the community.

Regional Standard 3: Respect the rich diversity that exists among Caribbean peoples as a valuable resource for sustainable development of the region within the framework of democratic and ethical values.

• Core Outcomes:
• Recognize that resources among diverse people are essential to developing positive relationships.

Theme 2: Sexuality & Sexual Health

Regional Standard 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the concept of human sexuality as an integral part of the total person that finds expression throughout the life cycle.

• Core Outcomes:
• Explore personal experiences, attitudes, and feelings about the roles that boys and girls are expected to play.
• Understand and cope with the physical, emotional, and psychological changes that occur during puberty.
• Identify and access appropriate services in response to their needs.

Regional Standard 2: Analyze the influence of socio-cultural and economic factors, as well as personal beliefs on the expression of sexuality.

• Core Outcomes:
• Demonstrate an understanding of the ways in which sexuality is learned.
• Demonstrate ways to respond appropriately to the key factors influencing sexuality.
• Demonstrate knowledge of the various types of sexual abuse and exploitation.
• Demonstrate the competence for appropriate action to sexual abuse.

Regional Standard 3: Build capacity to recognize the basic criteria and conditions for optimal reproductive health.

• Core Outcomes:
• Demonstrate knowledge of factors that influence reproductive health.
• Understand the impact of childbearing on health.

Regional Standard 4: Develop action competence and build capacity to recognize the basic criteria and conditions for optimal reproductive health, and reduce vulnerability to acquired problems such as the spread of HIV/AIDS, cervical cancer and STIs and adolescent pregnancy.

• Core Outcomes:
• Identify the risk factors/agents that are associated with contracting HIV, cervical cancer, and STI's.
• Understand the measures that can be taken to protect oneself against HIV and other STIs.
• Demonstrate skills to assist and respond compassionately to persons affected by HIV.

Regional Standard 5: Utilize knowledge and skills to access age-appropriate sources of health information, products and services related to sexuality and sexual health.

• Core Outcomes:
• Identify and utilize reliable sources of health information.
• Identify and utilize family, school, and community resources that deal with health, social, and emotional issues.

Theme 3: Appropriate Eating & Fitness

Regional Standard 1: Demonstrate the capacity to make healthy food and eating choices throughout the life cycle to reduce the risk factors associated with the development of chronic non-communicable diseases.

• Core Outcomes:
• Recognize the need for healthy eating throughout the life cycle.
• Demonstrate ways to select a balanced meal, from different food groups.
• Apply safe food - handling practices.

Regional Standard 2: Demonstrate an understanding of fitness and its relationship to good health and quality of life.

• Core Outcomes:
• Recognize and value physical activity as another critical component of healthy lifestyle.
• Incorporate safety principles when engaged in physical activities.
• Design, implement and monitor an age - appropriate physical activity plan.

Regional Standard 3: Analyze the influence of socio-cultural and economic factors, as well as personal beliefs on lifestyle choices related to appropriate eating and physical activity.

• Core Outcomes:
• Develop an understanding of personal and socio-cultural factors that influence eating and physical activity behaviours.

Regional Standard 4: Develop knowledge and skills to access age- appropriate sources of information, products, and services related to eating and physical activity.

• Core Outcomes:
• Utilize accurate age - appropriate information to inform personal choices relating to eating and physical activity.

Theme 4: Managing the Environment

Regional Standard 1: Demonstrate an understanding of the inter-relationships of a sustainable natural environment.

• Core Outcomes:
• Identify elements of a sustainable environment (air, sunlight, water, land, plants, and germs).
• Identify threats to sustainable environment.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the need for a sustainable environment.
• Display the courage to advocate for the protection of their home, school and community environments.

Regional Standard 2: Demonstrate an understanding of the environmental threats to the health and well-being of students, families, schools, and communities.

• Core Outcomes:
• Identify environmental health threats with emphasis on priorities in their country (e.g., respiratory diseases, inadequate lighting, etc.).
• Identify the main environmental factors and sources that contribute to these environmental health threats.
• Advocate for taking personal responsibility to reduce personal environmental health threats.

Regional Standard 3: Analyze the relationship between a sustainable and healthy environment, threats from climate change and the social and economic well-being of students, schools, and communities.

• Core Outcomes:
• Identify ways in which the quality of the environment can affect personal health and the well - being of the school and community (e.g., smoke free environment, presence of sidewalks etc.).
• Demonstrate ways in which a healthy, sustainable environment contributes to their well-being and their peers.

Regional Standard 4: Demonstrate scientifically sound and affordable responses to the creation of healthy and sustainable environments and the reduction of environmental health threats in the home, school, community and region.

• Core Outcomes:
• Identify practical opportunities for maintaining a sustainable environment and reducing health threats.
• Make appropriate choices to reduce exposure to environmental health risks.
• Create awareness among family, community and countries about taking responsibility to contribute to a healthy, sustainable environment.

Regional Standard 5: Develop knowledge and skills to access age-appropriate sources of information, products, and services related to managing the environment.

• Core Outcomes:
• Identify sources of accurate, age-appropriate information relating to managing the environment.