Recently, Women, Family and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri highlighted the need for Malaysian schools to take sex education more seriously.
According to BERNAMA, she emphasised that a more comprehensive approach is needed, especially one that involves schools, parents, and various government agencies.
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“It’s something we need to address right away”
Nancy emphasised that the issue of sex education should not be treated as a taboo subject, but as an important element in shaping values and protecting children and teenagers, especially in today’s digital world.
She also said the ministry will ensure that parenting programmes include elements of sex education to help parents communicate openly and safely with their children on the topic.
“Sex education is already part of the school curriculum, but there’s barely any content and it’s not really emphasised. That’s something we need to fix right away,” she said.
She added that the matter has also been discussed at a high level, including in a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim with the involvement of various ministries and government agencies.
“It’s for the safety of our children”
Nancy stressed that the issue is not solely the responsibility of her ministry but requires an integrated approach, and most importantly, parents must be involved in teaching children about values and personal safety.
“Teachers being shy to talk about this topic or cultural constraints also lead to it being only lightly taught, even though it’s included in textbooks.”
She further explained that this decision is to ensure the safety and well-being of children, and the government is currently looking into the best ways to tackle this issue comprehensively.
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