YOUTH and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh has called for improvements to the national sex education syllabus, highlighting its importance in addressing the growing number of HIV infections among school and university students.
Speaking at a youth interfaith roundtable discussion on social issues in Putrajaya today, Yeoh stressed that cross-ministerial collaboration is essential in curbing the spread of HIV, especially among young people.
“As we know from the data, many begin engaging in sexual activity before the age of 14, but sex education in schools only starts at age 15,” she said.
Yeoh added that both the Ministry of Education (KPM) and the Ministry of Health (KKM) are aware of the matter, and she is confident the relevant ministers will make the necessary enhancements to the current syllabus.
“We need to think outside the box when tackling youth social issues. If we stick to conventional approaches, we simply won’t achieve the outcomes we need,” she said.
Her remarks follow recent reports from Dr Zaiton Yahaya, honorary secretary of the Malaysian AIDS Council (MAC) and the Malaysian AIDS Foundation (MAF), who revealed a worrying rise in HIV infections among university and school students, with most cases linked to sexual activity.
According to Dr Zaiton, young adults aged 20 to 29 years now represent 44 per cent of new HIV infections, underscoring the urgent need for early intervention and comprehensive sex education. - April 29, 2025
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