Sex education gets Cabinet go-ahead

NST: KUALA LUMPUR: After years of discussion, the Cabinet has given the green light to introduce sex education into the school syllabus at all levels, said the Ministry of Education in a statement yesterday.
Reproductive and Social Health Education is designed with various age groups in mind. The Ministries of Education and Women, Family and Community Development have produced 160 pages of guidelines covering topics as diverse as teaching a child what kind of "touching" is allowed, contraception, teenage crushes and the dangers of online sexual predators.
The ministries worked with non-governmental organisations, experts and religious groups for three years to come up with the guidelines.
The age-groups are preschoolers aged four to six; children between seven and nine; early adolescents between 10 and 12; teenagers between 13 and 18; and adults 19 and above, said the statement.
Children aged four to six will be taught how to identify and say no to the "wrong touch".
They will get a brief introduction to HIV/AIDS as "a virus that can make you easily susceptible to many illnesses if you get infected."
Older children will learn about sexual orientation and how it can change in the course of life.
The language will be neutral, and topics like homosexuality or bisexuality will include a declaration that "most religions regard homosexuality as wrong".
Teenagers whose "hormones are running wild" will be counselled on peer pressure, infatuation, platonic or exploitative relationships and love.
While the course does include a section on contraception, it will teach that abstinence is best.
The possible dangers of abortion will also be touched on.
For those 19 years and above, the course will touch on relationships, marriage, parenting and even sexual dysfunction, in addition to sexually transmitted diseases and their symptoms and the need to be tested.
The Education Ministry is reported to have been training teachers with the help of non- governmental organisations most familiar with these subjects.
The details of how the course will be implemented and when it will make its debut have not yet been announced.