As the education ministry changes education rules, half of kids say they find out about sex from friends or the internet, says a new poll.

Though Poland’s education ministry declares that 65% of pupils have sex education classes, only 30 percent say that they have received them.

A survey prepared by renowned Polish sexologist Zbigniew Izdebski and conducted by OBOP opinion shows that over 80 percent of young people declared that they want to know how to protect themselves against HIV infection and AIDS and how to avoid unwanted pregnancy.

Around 70 percent say they want to learn how to make love.

Today, over 50 percent of Polish youngsters derive  knowledge about sex from friends and some 40 percent surf the web for information. Most of them, around 70 percent, would like to learn about sex at school.

But only one in four thinks that sex education classes should be compulsory. Others say that parents should have a say or that school is not the best place to talk about sex.

NGOs campaigning for sex education for Polish youngsters speak about an alarmingly low knowledge of sex about them. Summer hotlines are flooded with often startling questions which reveal that many youths do not even know the basic facts of how to protect themselves against sexually transmitted diseases and unwanted pregnancy.

Until this school year, sex education classes were optional and had to be organized only if parents declared such a wish. Now, they have to be held from grade five. However, it is up to parents to decide whether they want their children to attend or not. (kkk)