A well-rounded approach: Activists support inclusive curriculum on consent, health and identity topics. — FAIHAN GHANI/The Star
PETALING JAYA: It’s a topic as old as time, but interest groups claim that sex education in Malaysia remains conservative and fails to guide young people in understanding human sexuality and health.
Sex education is not sufficiently emphasised in the education curriculum, often leading to gaps in young people’s understanding of sexual health and rights, said Women’s Aid Organisation (WAO) acting executive director Nazreen Nizam.
“The current approach tends to focus more on abstinence and moral perspectives rather than providing a holistic and factual understanding of human sexuality. A well-rounded curriculum should include topics such as consent, contraceptive methods, reproductive health, gender identity, and sexual orientation – addressing these with scientific accuracy and cultural sensitivity,” she said.
Citing the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation’s (Unesco) 2021 Global Status Report on Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE), she said that CSE helps young people make informed decisions about their bodies and relationships, leading to lower rates of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections.
“By promoting responsible behaviour and respect for individual choices, comprehensive sex education programmes can foster a healthier, more informed generation capable of contributing to societal well-being and reducing the prevalence of these distressing social issues.”
She also said that normalising the knowledge needed to handle current issues teens face is crucial, especially in an era marked by rapid social and technological changes.
Nazreen proposed the implementation of small peer groups, led by qualified leaders, to foster a supportive community and empower teens to engage more openly and honestly.
Qualified peer leaders, she said, who share similar experiences or backgrounds can facilitate discussions effectively, breaking down barriers that might exist with adult educators.
“Such groups provide a safe space where judgement and shame are minimised, allowing for more genuine conversations about sensitive topics like mental health, cyberbullying, substance abuse, and relationships,” she said.
Nazreen said the concept of baby hatches was introduced as a proactive solution to address the problem of baby dumping in Malaysia, but some people found the idea controversial.
She explained that baby hatches allow mothers in distress to safely and privately surrender their newborns, ensuring the infants receive care and protection.
This intervention can be viewed as a compassionate alternative that potentially saves lives by providing a secure environment for these babies, rather than risking abandonment in unsafe conditions.
However, she pointed out that while baby hatches address the immediate safety concerns for abandoned infants, they do not tackle the root causes of baby dumping – lack of CSE, societal stigma associated with out-of-wedlock pregnancies, and inadequate support for vulnerable mothers.
“For baby hatches to be part of a more comprehensive solution, they must be integrated into a broader strategy that includes improving access to CSE, offering stronger support systems for single mothers, and enhancing child welfare services,” she said.
Former director-general of the National Population and Family Development Board Datuk Aminah Abdul Rahman said the government and NGOs have various initiatives to ensure young people are informed about reproductive and sexual health, but due to changing norms, more needs to be done to instil awareness.
“The age of the onset of sexuality has also gone much lower; some as young as nine or 10 years old are becoming parents,” she said.She said that reproductive and sexual health knowledge should be made a subject of its own in the school syllabus rather than incorporating it into other subjects.“We have to address the stakeholders – the parents, the children themselves, and also the community,” she said.
Parent Action Group for Education (PAGE) chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim said a radical approach is needed to address sex education in the curriculum instead of “beating around the bush”.
“Address the social stigma and make visible and accessible any form of support should the need arise.”
She said school counsellors must be trained to effectively approach the subject.
“The role and responsibility of the father needs to be addressed too,” she said.
She said precautionary measures must be made clear and a two-way avenue available for consultation and support.
Noor Azimah also said that the content being taught in classrooms should offer case studies to reflect upon issues teenagers face in real life.
