Ask any teenager where they first learned about periods, relationships, or intimacy, and you’ll probably hear one of three answers: friends, TikTok, or Google. Rarely will they say, “from school”. That gap says it all, young people are growing up in a digital world with unlimited exposure, but limited guidance.

What Schools Teach (and Don’t Teach)

Malaysia already has a Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE) program, named Reproductive Health and Social Education or Pendidikan Kesihatan Reproduktif dan Sosial (PEERS), which covers sexual anatomy, reproduction, safe sex, contraception, health, and rights. 

For future doctors, anatomy is essential. But for most teenagers, these lessons feel disconnected. What they need is guidance on how reproductive health affects their everyday lives, like irregular periods, period care, and consent.

According to Lembaga Penduduk dan Pembangunan Keluarga Negara (LPPKN, 2023), CSE in Malaysia still needs improvements, such as:

• Cultural fit: Content should respect local culture while addressing real issues.
• National standard: CSE should be part of a formal curriculum, not optional.
• Teacher training: Educators need proper skills to teach sensitive topics.
• Parental role: Parents should reinforce lessons through guidance at home.

It would be good if Malaysia worked toward a stronger, national CSE curriculum, co-developed with NGOs and healthcare experts. This would make lessons age-appropriate, practical, and consistent across schools.

Cultural & Social Taboos

Many fear that teaching these topics is “inappropriate” and will encourage sexual activity. But reproductive health education is not about encouraging sex, it’s about preparing young people for real-life situations. Global evidence shows that when students receive accurate information, they make safer choices (UNESCO, 2024a).

Even periods, something half the population experiences, are still whispered about. Girls are teased for buying pads, while boys avoid asking questions. What children really need is a safe environment that normalises conversations about periods, consent, and respect.

This is where organisations like Pistil steps in. Through Pistil community events, online platforms, and partnerships with doctors and educators, Pistil creates safe spaces where reproductive health can be discussed openly and without shame.

Global vs Local Comparison

In countries like the Netherlands, where comprehensive sex ed starts from a young age, teen pregnancy rates are among the lowest in the world, with the average age of a mother’s first birth being at 17 years old (UNESCO, 2024b). At school, students are taught about respect, consent, and safety, not just reproduction. 

Meanwhile, Malaysia continues to debate whether teaching contraception or consent is “too much.” But our own statistics tell a different story, risks are rising, not falling. In 2023, according to FRED (2025), Malaysia’s adolescent fertility rate was 5.6 births per 1000 girls. In the same year, according to NL Times (2024), Netherland’s adolescent fertility rate was just 1.9 births per 1000 girls. Avoiding the subject hasn’t worked, and it won’t start working now.

Youth Perspective

Here’s where adults assume wrong, they’re not as “innocent” as people assume. A 15-year-old today is more connected to the world than a 25-year-old was a decade ago. Teens are exposed to influencers, memes, or even pornography. The problem isn’t whether they’ll learn about sex, it’s whether they’ll learn it from reliable sources.

Some parents have started guiding children about consent and respect, but many have not. Schools can complement parents by offering structured, relatable lessons that prepare young people for today’s realities.

Online Safety Beyond the Classroom

Many parents think restricting internet use is enough, but it isn’t. With young people spending more time online, risks such as grooming and sextortion are real cases and happening in Malaysian society.

According to Children Statistics Malaysia (DOSM, 2024), sexual offences involving children reported to the Royal Malaysia Police (PDRM) increased by 26.5% in 2023, from 1,239 cases in 2022 to 1,567 cases in 2023. If numbers can climb this sharply in one year, what will they look like in 2025?

Instead of just monitoring, children should be taught how to recognise red flags, set boundaries, and walk away from unsafe situations. Knowledge of risks, teen pregnancy, harassment, STDs, grooming, and online threats helps young people protect themselves, disengage from suspicious people, and support their friends. This kind of proactive education lowers the chances of these threats turning into real-life harm.

The Case for Better Sex Ed

Detailed sex or reproductive health education doesn’t encourage kids to “experiment”, it gives them knowledge to make safer, healthier choices. Teaching consent reduces cases of harassment. Teaching about respect builds healthier relationships. Teaching about contraception lowers unintended pregnancies. Teaching about period care reduces stigma and keeps girls in school.

And no, it doesn’t replace parents. Schools can complement what parents teach, creating a stronger safety net for children. Like road safety, we don’t teach kids traffic rules because we want them to drive early, we do it so they can cross the road safely. The same way knowledge doesn’t take away innocence, it protects it.

It’s time we move beyond whispers and treat reproductive health as essential knowledge. Students deserve open, age-appropriate, and practical lessons that prepare them for modern life.

At Pistil, we believe change starts with honest conversations. Through the Pistil Community, the Pistil platform, and our healthcare partners, we work with doctors, parents, and students to raise awareness about issues that truly matter, making reproductive health a normal part of life instead of a taboo.

If you’re a parent looking for ways to better safeguard your children, we’d love to hear from you. And if you’re part of a government agency working toward a healthier Malaysia, we welcome the chance to collaborate. Together, we can build a future where every child grows up informed, supported, and empowered.

Author by Rina Ho, Pistil Team
This article was originally featured on The Rakyat Post.

💗 Better lessons today mean safer kids tomorrow.
📲 Break the cycle of misinformation with Pistil at www.pistil.io