‘Rise in Sarawak teen pregnancies, need for formal sex education'
Sibu Division Resident Abang Mohamad Porkan Abang Budiman said 90.6% (1,812) of the pregnant teenagers were aged 16 and above, while 96.1% (1,922) were no longer in school at the time of pregnancy.
'Additionally, 63.6% (1,271 cases) of the pregnancies occurred among unmarried teens,' he said.
His speech was read out by his representative Macgyver Boi at the launch of the 'Social Intervention Programme: Sexual Education Awareness and Advocacy (Kaps) for Sibu Division 2025' at SMK Bukit Assek.
By division, Kuching recorded the highest number of cases at 482, followed by Bintulu (320), Miri (302), Sibu (261) and Samarahan (119).
The increase contrasts with a decade-long decline from 3,866 cases in 2012 to 2,000 in 2023.
The proportion of teenage pregnancies relative to new antenatal cases also dropped from 9.1% to 7.2% in that period.
Abang Mohamad said that comprehensive and continuous sex education should be prioritised to address teenage pregnancy in Sarawak, as abstinence-only approaches had proven to be less effective.
He noted that studies show over 80% of teenagers obtain information about sex from peers and the Internet, rather than from parents, teachers or medical professionals.
'This underscores the need for structured sexuality education – not merely telling them 'don't do it' or relying on scare tactics.
'We must equip teenagers with knowledge and values, so they understand the consequences of their actions,' he added.
Abang Mohamad said state government has set a key performance indicator to reduce teenage pregnancies by 10% each year.
The Kaps programme is implemented by the Sarawak Social Development Council under Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, in collaboration with the One-Stop Teenage Pregnancy Committee.
'Since 2016, 75 Kaps sessions have been held statewide.
'These contributed to a 45.07% drop in pregnancies among school-going girls – from 142 in 2016 to 78 in 2024,' he said.
Pilot initiatives have since extended the programme to selected primary schools.
Abang Mohamad warned of the long-term impact of teenage pregnancy, including stigma, health risks, poor academic performance, and poverty.
'It not only denies young girls their right to a better life, but also risks trapping them in a cycle of vulnerability and disadvantage,' he said.
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