PUTRAJAYA will enhance the Reproductive and Social Health Education (PEERS) programme in schools to include topics like sexual grooming.

Deputy Prime Minister Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail said the programme, in existence since 1989, needed to be updated to be more relevant to the current era.

“We are trying to get the evaluation now. We are also looking at the effectiveness (of PEERS) and the way forward,” she said in a press conference at the Parliament building.

The women, family and community development minister also said the ministry would also try to repair any negative perception of sexual education schools.

“While there is sexual education in schools, it has a negative connotation.

“Now, we want to teach children about grooming from preschool,” Wan Azizah added.

The updated syllabus will include topics on diseases related to reproductive organs, sexual grooming, safe touch and online sexual predators.

In recent weeks, cases such as a 9-month-old baby being sexually assaulted by her babysitter and 41-year-old man marrying a 11-year-old girl had seen Malaysia makes headlines across the world for all the wrong reasons.

Activists and lawmakers had also called for sexual education in the country to be improved. – November 22, 2018.