New Straits Times
Thursday, Oct 18, 2012
MALAYSIA - A total of 6,820 girls aged below 16 have given birth out of wedlock since 2000, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday.
In a written statement to a question from Chong Eng (DAP-Bukit Mertajam), Najib, who is also women, family and community development minister, said the number was based on National Registration Department records as of Oct 9.
He said the ministry was taking several pro-active steps to combat teenage pregnancies.
"Among them is the introduction of the Reproductive Health and Social Education Programme and the Kami Prihatin campaign.
"There's also the teaching of Social and Reproductive Health Education to National Service trainees," he said, adding that from Jan 1 last year till May this year, 105,662 NS trainees had been exposed to sex education.
Another 100,000 were expected to be taught under the same module by end of this year.
Apart from that, the government has also started kafe@Teen to deal with teenage pregnancies. "Currently, there are nine such centres and they provide advice and counselling to youth aged between 13 and 24 on psycho-social issues," Najib said. "Some 531,347 youth benefited from the programme between November 2005 and August this year."
Talian Nur 15999 was also there for troubled teens to seek counselling, together the Cakna diri module which teaches both parents and teenagers about dealing with teen issues.
Najib said another programme involved the participation of non-governmental organisations. "About 150 NGOs have joined our efforts. As of July this year, 294 programmes involving 14,975 participants has been carried out."
Najib said there were plans to incorporate sex education in the curriculum for Year Six and Form Three students.
The primary syllabus will be based on a module prepared by the Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia called Reproductive Health of Adolescents. Secondary students would be taught based on the Cakna diri module.
An estimated 1,360 students were expected to benefit from the programme and 67 teachers had undergone training between Sept 8 and 10 to be the tutors.
Najib said participation from all quarters was necessary to overcome the teenage pregnancy issue.
Thursday, Oct 18, 2012
MALAYSIA - A total of 6,820 girls aged below 16 have given birth out of wedlock since 2000, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak said yesterday.
In a written statement to a question from Chong Eng (DAP-Bukit Mertajam), Najib, who is also women, family and community development minister, said the number was based on National Registration Department records as of Oct 9.
He said the ministry was taking several pro-active steps to combat teenage pregnancies.
"Among them is the introduction of the Reproductive Health and Social Education Programme and the Kami Prihatin campaign.
"There's also the teaching of Social and Reproductive Health Education to National Service trainees," he said, adding that from Jan 1 last year till May this year, 105,662 NS trainees had been exposed to sex education.
Another 100,000 were expected to be taught under the same module by end of this year.
Apart from that, the government has also started kafe@Teen to deal with teenage pregnancies. "Currently, there are nine such centres and they provide advice and counselling to youth aged between 13 and 24 on psycho-social issues," Najib said. "Some 531,347 youth benefited from the programme between November 2005 and August this year."
Talian Nur 15999 was also there for troubled teens to seek counselling, together the Cakna diri module which teaches both parents and teenagers about dealing with teen issues.
Najib said another programme involved the participation of non-governmental organisations. "About 150 NGOs have joined our efforts. As of July this year, 294 programmes involving 14,975 participants has been carried out."
Najib said there were plans to incorporate sex education in the curriculum for Year Six and Form Three students.
The primary syllabus will be based on a module prepared by the Federation of Reproductive Health Associations Malaysia called Reproductive Health of Adolescents. Secondary students would be taught based on the Cakna diri module.
An estimated 1,360 students were expected to benefit from the programme and 67 teachers had undergone training between Sept 8 and 10 to be the tutors.
Najib said participation from all quarters was necessary to overcome the teenage pregnancy issue.
