THE move by the Education Ministry to introduce sex education at primary and secondary schools next year has received mixed reactions from a wide cross section of the respondents in Sabah.
The majority of parents and teachers were divided on the issue. Some have agreed to the idea of allowing children as young as six years old to have sex education in primary schools as part of a drive to curb baby-dumping, promiscuity and spread of diseases such as AIDS and HIV, while proponents were perfectly happy with the proposal.
Sabah Chinese Teachers Association chairman Datuk Eng Thiam Leong said school children would benefit from the common knowledge taught in sex education.
Although the syllabus of the subject has not been disclosed, Eng said educating students on health related issues would be good for them.
Eng, who is also the principal of SJK (C) Chung Hwa Kota Kinabalu, pointed out that the subject would help prevent children from being a victim of sexual crimes, as well as give them the necessary knowledge to counter undesirable materials in the online world.
Deputy Education Minister Datuk Dr Wee Ka Siong announced sex education to be taught in all primary schools starting Year One in 2011. Called social and reproductive health education, the component will be taught for 30 minutes every week during Physical and Health Education lessons.
Asked if the teachers would be ready to teach the subject, Eng said it would not be a problem for primary school teachers as it would be taught as common knowledge.
“It’s a compulsory subject for secondary schools, and more like a common knowledge for primary schools.”
However, he added that training might be needed for secondary schools teachers as they would go more in-depth on sex education.
A secondary school teacher, who wished to be identified only as Chai, is in favour of the move, saying that children should be taught to differentiate sexual harrassment from affectionate hugging.
“They should know touching private parts is no-no, and it is wrong to touch them at inappropriate places.
“They (children) might thing adults who hug them are being affectionate.”
Chai also stressed the importance of the syllabus and suggested the syllabus to be uploaded on a website so that parents know what would be taught.
In addition, she pointed out that teachers of the subject must be trained to prevent male teachers from taking advantage when delivering the lesson.
If the subject is taught by a male teacher, she suggested a female teacher to be in the class as well to eradicate all possibilities of undesirable events from happening.
Albert Chia, chairman of SM Michael Parent-teacher Association, Sandakan, expressed support for the idea he described as good, but cautioned that teachers must be properly trained so as not to mislead the young minds.
“Sex education is different from sex activities as in websites and blue movies.
“Basic information such as the difference between the two sexes, how babies are produced, the responsibilities of young parents and the prevention of sexually-transmitted diseases,” added Chia.
Another parent, identified as Michelle, said that parents themselves can also teach sex education to their children at home.
“Parents must teach and remind their daughters how to say ‘no’ to premature sex and how to behave appropriately as an individual to foster family values,” she said.
Another parent, who wished anonymity, said sex education must be closely monitored in schools.
“There is no such thing as allowing total sex education because too much of it may lead to uncontrolled free sex which can also lead young children to the negative side of sex education,” he said.
Teachers and parents should always emphasize on the dangers of sex at a young age and before marriage so that these young minds could always be warned of “unhealthy sex” that the majority of adults would greet with scorn.
In Lahad Datu, a mother of three, Normadiah, 35, said the move was inappropriate for primary school students because they were immature.
“This sex education should be taught in secondary schools because the students are more mature and able to accept this kind of learning. Besides that, primary school students are still young to accept sex education.
“They have a different level of thinking and their curiosities are strong. I think, it is better not to expose them to sex education at the primary school level,” she said.
“In my opinion, the government’s plan to expose primary school students to sex education is a wise move to reduce baby-dumping problem,” said Abdullah Bin Abdul Majid, the leader of SMK Agaseh Parent-Teacher Association.
He said it was good to introduce and teach sex education to 11 and 12-year-old students so that they would be able to understand it more clearly.
“The secondary school students are a bit stubborn and have a very deep feeling of trying out something new.
“We need to teach sex education much earlier to these young children so that they know the negative effects and feel afraid to try it.
“Secondary school students also love to act without thinking about the consequences. When students are introduced to sex education early, they’ll be more careful and are not easily influenced,” he said.
He added that sex education was not merely about sex, but it was also related to family values, and how to protect themselves from high-risk behaviors.