Sex education to be incorporated into other subjects

Sun2Surf: KUALA LUMPUR: Sex education will not be introduced as a subject in schools, the Education Ministry has said.
Its parliamentary secretary Komala Krishnamoorthy said it would instead be incorporated into existing subjects, namely health education, science, biology, Islamic studies and religious and moral studies.
"Even though sex education will not be a subject of its own, it will nevertheless be included in other subjects," she told reporters outside the Dewan Negara today (July 24, 2006).
Komala said certain elements of the subject have already been a part of the primary schools curriculum since 1994 and secondary schools curriculum since 1989.
She said a study on the expanded scope of the subject is being carried out with the Women, Family and Community Development Ministry.
"It is in its final stages, with the guidelines already completed."
Komala said the National Sexuality Education Guidelines is divided into six main areas - human development, relationships, marriage and family, self-independency skill, health and sexual habits, and society and culture.
"The guidelines are targeted at five age categories: Level 1 for ages four to six years, Level 2 (seven to nine), Level 3 (10 to 12), Level 4 ( 13 to 18) and Level 5 (19 and above) ," she said.
Komala said the ministry's Curriculum Development Centre had obtained feedback from several non-governmental organisations and experts in the relevant fields.
A memorandum on the study conducted by the two ministries will be submitted to the cabinet for approval and implementation.