PROTECTION AGAINST SEXUAL IGNORANCE

The large number of students who are sexually active, and the rise in sexual crimes against the young are the reasons why the Education Ministry is improving the sex education syllabus.

Sex education remains a taboo among Malaysians, which is why it was placed under the Physical Education and Health subject. TEO NIE CHING Deputy education minister

THE Education Ministry has identified a number of elements to be introduced in the sex education syllabus to make the subject more comprehensive and effective in addressing issues such as sexual crimes against the young.

Deputy Education Minister Teo Nie Ching told the New Sunday Times that the elements were agreed upon following discussions and meetings, which began on Jan 18, involving her ministry, the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) and the National Population and Family Development Board.

She said the elements included information about sexuality, including health and reproductive organs, maintaining cleanliness of sexual parts, physical changes, menstrual cycle and puberty.

There were elements related to the issue of addressing sexual crimes, such as decision-making skills in the context of self-reproductive health and saying “no” to uncomfortable physical touch, she added.

Teo said the elements were the first step towards formulating a comprehensive sex education syllabus, as discussions between the ministries and NGOs were ongoing.

On Feb 22, Teo said sex education in schools, as part of the Physical Education and Health subject, was important in addressing rising sex crimes against the young.

In view of this, she said, teachers should not take sex education lightly by replacing the subject.

She said the subject taught students about safe/unsafe and comfortable/uncomfortable physical contact and boosted awareness among them on the dangers of sexual crimes.

“Sex education remains a taboo among Malaysians, which is why it was placed under the Physical Education and Health subject,” she said, adding that the government decided to revise the syllabus after taking into consideration input from parents and relevant groups.

Teo said children these days were relying on unverified information on the Internet and social media, especially on sex.

The proposal to introduce a more comprehensive sex education syllabus in schools was mooted by Deputy Women, Family and Community Development Minister Hannah Yeoh last month.

Yeoh had said records and statistics showed that nine per cent of the total number of students in remove classes nationwide were sexually active.

She said she would discuss with the Education Ministry how to tackle the problem and find a solution to ensure that sex education was implemented at all school levels.

She said failure to educate children on sex and leaving them to learn it themselves through social media could ruin a generation.