Train teachers to better deliver sex education
SEX education is not confined to sex and sexuality. It also explores values and beliefs about sexuality, which are essential in navigating relationships and managing one’s sexual health.
Unesco promotes an inclusive sexuality education called abstinence-plus education or comprehensive sexuality education (CSE). Young people aged five to 18 and above should receive comprehensive, life skills-based sexuality education.
Besides providing accurate information about human sexuality, the goal of sex education is to help young people to be responsible in a sexual relationship. Basic sex education teaches them that the best approach is abstinence, which is acknowledged as important in preventing pregnancy.
Nevertheless, programmes which focus on abstinence have been found to be counterproductive in the sexual orientation of youths.
In the Malaysian public school syllabus, sex education is embedded in the Pendidikan Jasmani dan Pendidikan Kesihatan (Physical Education and Health Education) subject. In the Form 1 curriculum, 13 hours are allocated for Reproductive and Social Health Education. Learning Standard 2.1.4 is on how to deal with risky sexual behaviour and the need to practise abstinence.
As such, what Harry Tan, secretary-general of the National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP), said in “NUTP: Sex education should highlight consequences” ( The Star, Sept 18) – “teachers and parents should refrain from telling students that sex was a “no-no”, but instead give them the correct and relevant information” – is worth thinking over.
How abstinence is taught in school and whether our teachers are equipped to teach sex educa- tion should be explored.
There are instances where teachers skip some of the topics, notably those related to reproduction.
In our teacher education programme, Health Education is offered as an elective course. One core element in this elective course is introduction to teaching methodologies, which is specifically meant for topics such as reproduction.
I would like to propose that Health Education be made a compulsory course for all pre-service teachers.
It would also be good if the Education Ministry trains in-ser- vice teachers on how to teach topics related to reproduction.
Since there are 27 teacher training institutes scattered throughout Malaysia, in-house programmes for teachers could be carried out in no time!
Lecturers from our teacher training institutes are capable of designing a programme incorporating the elements suggested by Unesco in its “International Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education” which was published this year.