"The risk is that children could imitate what they see in the illustrations," said Rosa Marie Shiao, head of the department of Abstinence Education Research and Development at Fujen Catholic University. She insisted that the MOE should consult with parents before allowing the new material to be used in elementary classrooms.

The two images in question are part of a three-stage course designed recently for elementary, junior and senior high school students, accompanied by 100 illustrations about understanding sexuality.

Deng Yin-ping, head of the Department of Family Studies and Child Development at Shih Chien University, explained her opposition to the program, based on the idea that children aged 7 and 8 are not aware of their gender differences. She added that children's perception of what is good or wrong is also very limited at that age, and they would likely try to emulate what they have learned in class to please their teacher.

She asked whether focusing on sexuality instead of relationships between people means that we are no more developed than animals.

"If it is not the right time to teach [a subject], don't teach it," she said.

"It doesn't fit in, in our country," added Pan Li-hua, vice president of the Millennium Cultural and Educational Foundation, before blaming similar curricula existing in Denmark, Germany and Sweden for drug-related problems.

"We can't keep children in an entirely sex-free environment," said Gau Song-jing, director of general affairs at Taipei Municipal Dali Senior High School, and supervisor of the new curriculum.

Gau cited a recent survey conducted in collaboration with the MOE, showing that 15 percent of elementary school students in Taiwan have watched porno movies prior graduating, compared with 38 percent in junior high, 39 percent in senior high, and 79 percent in university.

"We want to facilitate discussion about sexuality in a healthy way," he added, stressing he completely agrees about the importance of "love" in sexuality.

He explained that sexuality is more complicated than "monkey see, monkey do," as children already know a lot about sex through the media.

"The problem is that teachers wouldn't dare talk about it," he said. "More than 20 years ago, sexuality was taboo; it shouldn't be this way today."

Gau also noted the new program aims to teach "intimacy" to children in order to increase their awareness of -- and their ability to identify -- inappropriate behaviors by classmates, and in particular sexual harassment by adults. He added that by focusing on critical thinking, children and teenagers would learn about "self-management" and respect other people's bodies, too.

"If there aren't any pictures, how do you expect educators to teach such a subject?" asked Gau rhetorically.

He stressed that the two disputed illustrations in the program are mainly for teaching support and wouldn't be included in students' books, contrary to what the program's opponents claimed. The teachers will be free to use them in support of games and discussions, and they will receive proper training prior to the new academic year in September 2008, he said.