ACADEMIC WRITING

Is Sex Education Relevant in 21st Century Education?

An 11-year-old boy told me that he knows exactly where the baby comes from.
“My parents and teachers never talk about it but my friends show me videos from the
internet and we talk about them in school”. I stood stunned and speechless when I
heard him uttering the phrase ‘dirty videos’ softly after looking around quickly. This is
commonly seen in this 21st century whereby students can easily access to digital
tools. On top of that, adults tend to view sex education as dirty and bad. Their
narrow-mindedness is because they do not understand what is really meant by sex
education. Sex education refers to a broad term used to describe human sexual
anatomy and behavior referring to sexual reproduction and sexual intercourse.
According to Sexual Information and Education Council of the United States
(SIECUS, 2002), sex education is a lifelong process of acquiring information and
forming attitudes, beliefs and values about identity, relationships and intimacy.

Usage of IT and digital tools among students in learning has been made
compulsory in 21st century. Many argues that exposing them to digital tools at young
age would give negative influences from inappropriate information and excessive
content not being filtered which include pornography videos and pictures, online love
web chat and violence from Facebook, Instagram and Youtube. They have not reach
their maturity and their cognitive and moral has yet to be developed and this is
supported by Jean Piaget (1999) who stated that they are at the concrete operational
stage whereby child starts to have his inductive logic and able to use his own
experiences to develop own principles which will then be applied later on in life.
However, some parents think that exposing digital tools at young age help them to
explore the world without limitation and this would add on to their knowledge based
on experiencing the wonders and answering the questions created in their mind. In
my opinion, young children should be well informed by the adults on what they are
seeing in the net so that they will understand fully about what is happening around
them and decide which is right or wrong to accept and to follow.

Besides being able to inform them about the understanding of sex, the sex
education in the 21st century would protect them from sexual abused. From the
understanding of the comprehensive sex education, we are letting them to know their
rights as children; which part of their bodies that cannot be touched by other people,
not to be friendly with strangers and educate them about the dangers of internet. This
kind of information delivered during the sex education session would prevent them
from becoming the preys of sadistic pedophile who are roaming at the internet or in
real world. This is because they are more likely to trust the strangers when they are
offered with things that they are interested into. According to Education Minister
Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid as reported by New Straits Times Online, 2016, the
ministry was pursuing steps to introduce a suitable sex education syllabus for
preschoolers.These steps taken by our government are strongly supported with the
concern to protect young children based on the recent notorious British pedophile
sexual abuse case, Richard Huckle who had barbarously raped 23 children in
Malaysia. This controversial issue reminds us that sexual education implemented
can actually help to ease parents’ anxiety in looking after their children hence
enabling them to have a wonderful and memorable childhood.

In 21st century teaching and learning process, teachers are instilling critical
thinking which is stated clearly in the framework of essential 21 st century skills
according to Partnership for 21st Century Learning (P21), 2002. Teachers are
harnessing the students’ curiosity and imagination as they are trained to answer
questions during class discussion. We can notice that students in this era are more
advanced and brave because they are being exposed to various types of
pedagogical teaching method parallel to the 21st century education. They do not feel
shy to ask questions regarding other gender as they are interested to learn and know
about their differences. In 21st century learning, they are involved in collaborative
group work whereby here is the starting point for them to interact and work with other
students of opposite genders. There might be high possibilities for them to get into
relationships as they know and learn about each other. The girls who reach puberty
earlier than boys will start to notice differences in their physical appearance and other
people perspective about them so their imagination and interest start to run wild.
Being in these kind of situations would make them realize that problems and
challenges that arise could be solved from different angles and so they are able to
formulate their own solutions quickly. In fact, they would be able to manage their
personal problems as in love relationships, quickly settle down and focus on their
main purpose of life. With the positive thinking nurtured as a result of sex education
in the 21st century education, children would have a brighter future and able to adapt
to any kinds of situations.
 In order to cope up with 21st century globalization which include the changing
demographics and technological advancements, students are equipped with
competencies and skills to have the integrated and holistic development. This is to
ensure that students learn and acquire knowledge are not for the sake of passing
examinations with flying colors only but to apply the knowledge learned and acquired
into their lives. Being a holistic means that it takes into the matter of intellectual and
physical as well as emotional and socially stabilized. Looking at the whole
perspective of holistic and integrated approach, sex education is relevant to be
taught in the syllabus in accordance to the 21 st century education as it would
contribute to a healthy mind and body. This is because an effective sex education
taught by teachers would help them to develop an individual’s sexuality. Developing
sexuality of an individual can be done through the understanding the context of
appreciating for one self and other gender, developing fulfilling personal and family
relationships, having the adequate knowledge of gender roles like roles of father,
mother, wife, husband, siblings, friends also neighbors besides recognizing bodily
functions as related to reproduction, the understanding of emotions taking part in
maturation and responsibility towards one self and other people (Anspaugh D.J. &
Ezell G., 2004). All these would contribute to a healthy attitude toward life besides
able to give full commitment on studies and achieve good performance in education (Sababathy
M., 2016). Our misconceptions about sex education would no longer valid if we realize its
importance in life. With the high concern on implementing sex education, the 87 cases of baby
dumping in September 2015 and the rising of LBT in Malaysia, 2016 according to BERNAMA could
be halted immediately. So, the sexual transmitted diseases like gonorrhea, herpes, HIV, AIDS,
syphilis are unlikely to affect the young generation.

In conclusion, there are arguments relating to the implementation of sex education. Typical
Asian would frequently ask, why bother explaining the complicated content of sex education to
them when they still have the pure mind. By focusing on strongly religious principle and norms in
culture, they actually overlooked the consequences of not teaching a proper sex education to
young children. As the children grow up, they face with problems and have to make important
decisions regarding relationships, sexuality and sexual behavior. The important decisions they
make can give impacts to their health and their well-being for the rest of their lives.

(1260 words)