OVER the years, there has been a huge debate over whether sex education should be taught in schools. Currently, many schools solely teach abstinence, or prefer to leave the issue of sex education to parents.
Child advocates claim that this goes against years of extensive research on the issue which has shown that the lack of comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) leaves youth at a disadvantage when it comes to their physical and emotional well-being.
They frequently cite the stand of the World Health Organisation, which states on its website that CSE “plays a central role in the preparation of young people for a safe, productive, fulfilling life in a world where HIV and AIDS, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), unintended pregnancies, gender-based violence (GBV) and gender inequality still pose serious risks to their well-being.”
This year, women’s groups have renewed their call for CSE to be made a mandatory part of the school syllabus to help equip the younger generation with the right knowledge about their sexual and reproductive health, as well as building healthy relationships with their peers and adults.
Sisters In Islam (SIS) communications officer Aleza Othman was quoted as saying that CSE should be made a standalone subject, instead of a component of physical education, religious or scientific subjects, while partner-director of KRYSS Network Angela M. Kuga Thas stated that it would help teach students how to better manage peer pressure around sex, as well as foster more respectful relationships between boys and girls.
