KUCHING: Reproductive health education must begin at an early age to prepare children for the challenges of today’s digital era, says Women, Family, and Community Development Minister Datuk Seri Nancy Shukri.
She said young people today are increasingly exposed to a borderless digital world where misleading and risky content is widespread, yet many still lack the knowledge to protect themselves.
“A study by UNIMAS (Universiti Malaysia Sarawak) shows that adolescents still lack knowledge about reproductive health, and some are even engaging in sexual relationships as early as the age of 13.
“Furthermore, comprehensive sexuality education is still limited. Combined with cultural norms that treat this issue as taboo, many young people do not have the opportunity to discuss it openly,” she said when officiating at the state-level Reproductive and Social Health Education (PEKERTI) Advocacy and ‘Sentuhan Kasih: Mass Circumcision’ programme at SK Gersik today.
Nancy stressed that strengthening reproductive health education must take place not just in schools and universities, but also at home and within communities.
“Through initiatives like Sexual and Reproductive Health (SRH) for Boys and the Male Self-Awareness Module (Modul Cakna Diri Lelaki) developed by the Sarawak National Population and Family Development Board (LPPKN), boys are taught about key issues such as sexuality, teenage pregnancy, sexual abuse, gender awareness, and infectious diseases,” she said.
The event saw about 100 students from SK Gersik, SK Matu Baru, SK Pulo, and SK Astana participating in activities combining medical services with community education.
Nancy also highlighted ministry programmes such as the KASIH Advocacy Programme under the Social Welfare Department (JKM), which has reached 337 schools in 2024 and is now being expanded to 30 Children’s Activity Centres (PAKK) nationwide.
“We must continue these efforts nationwide. It is our responsibility to work hand in hand with parents and communities to shape future generations who are not only knowledgeable, but also hold strong moral values.
“So for this year, we’re targeting 30 Children’s Activity Centres, and 300 schools but we usually exceed that number, as we combine outreach with school visits,” she said.
