More calls for sex education in schools

KUALA LUMPUR (Oct 15, 2012): Sex education, including gender roles, should be taught in schools to better prepare children for present day challenges.

International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) regional director Nora Murat said the subject should go beyond basic reproductive health studies, to also incorporate gender perspective issues, for instance, violence against women. 

"Every day we read about cases involving young girls ... baby dumping, domestic violence and many others," Nora told theSun

 

When contacted, Women's Development Research Centre director Prof Dr Rashidah Shuib said the government must take the lead in ensuring that children are taught the right information.

"It is much better for information to be given in a proper manner, rather than children finding out from other sources, like the internet," she said.

She said as children are less inclined to talk to their parents about "intimate" matters, introducing sex education in schools will be a good solution to the problem. 

Social activist Datin Paduka Marina Mahathir said there is a lack of political will to heed repeated calls from civil society and concerned parents for sex education to be incorporated into the school system. 

"Actually, what I would like to see is gender equality education. If sex education (only) perpetuates the idea that women are less equal, are inferior (to men), it does not help," she said. 

Asked whether sex education should be introduced as a dedicated module or incorporated into existing subjects, Marina said it must first begin with a policy approach that applies across the board.

These comments reflect a renewed public interest in cases highlighting possible consequences of entering into an unplanned sexual relationship, or of young couples unable to cope with the pressures of married life. 

The government was also urged to take the lead in introducing sex education in schools, rather than leave it to NGOs such as the Yayasan Guru Malaysia Berhad and Putrajaya Consultative Council of Parent-Teacher Association, responsible for organising a series of "Parents Handling LGBT (Lesbian, Gay, Bi-Sexual, Transsexual) Issues" seminars. 

A purported "guideline' for parents to identify LGBT traits in their children, distributed during the seminar, attracted brickbats and bouquets from concerned parties, including parents, rights groups and educationists. 

In response, Deputy Education Minister Puad Zarkashi told theSun the government has no plans to introduce sex education as a dedicated module in school, but rather, it will remain incorporated in other core subjects such as science, biology and moral studies.