Tuesday July 13, 2010TEENAGE pregnancies are on the rise. As of April this year, the Welfare Department had already seen 111 such cases compared to 131 cases throughout last year and 107 cases in 2008.
The dramatic increase of such cases must not be taken lightly or with a lackadaisical attitude. Political parties, parents, teachers, religious bodies, non-governmental organisations and the public must act to curb this disturbing issue immediately.
This is the reason we need to implement the character-based curriculum which includes sex education in schools, colleges, universities and other learning institutions to help young people make right choices regarding high-risk behaviour such as having sex before marriage.
I am surprised at the mentality of some politicians, parents and teachers who think that sex education will only teach youngsters to get involved in premarital sex. Why the taboo about sex education?
There are already so many embarrassing cases, including students caught on camera performing sexual acts in schools which were uploaded on social networking websites such as YouTube and Facebook.
Are we going to wait for more explosions of immoral activities; unwanted pregnancies that lead to abortion cases or more babies being abandoned plus an increase in single-parent families, in addition to the rising statistics of sexually transmitted diseases? Think about it. We have to act fast.
As parents to three children aged between three and 10 years old, we have been educating them about self respect, moral values and self-protection which include sex education.
As facilitators for character-building programmes, especially the “No Apologies” — abstinence until marriage programme by Focus on the Family Malaysia, we also help to educate youngsters, including students, on the dangers of premarital sex and its consequences.
There are ways to help youngsters curb this problem.
They must inform their parents of their whereabouts and follow the time or guidelines set by their parents. They must avoid overstaying in friends’ houses or being involved in late night activities.
They must also know their boundaries when mingling with old or new friends of the opposite sex.
For counselling, they should talk to their parents or a trustworthy adult of the same sex like a teacher or professional counsellor.
They should read good books and articles or surf the Internet to get information on the dangers of premarital sex and its consequences.
They should also attend character-building, moral uplifting and sex education programmes.
Be knowledgeable so that you will not fall into any plot or trap.
To protect yourself from being a victim of abuse, attend self-defence classes.
Also join outdoor activities, uniform bodies or take up music classes to occupy your time and stay away from bad hats.
Finally, make an abstinence oath (not having sex before marriage) and attend spiritual or religious activities. Get involved in community work by joining NGOs such as the public service or welfare societies or clubs.
KUMARATHEVAN-JOSEPHINE
