Fadhlina: Community, character key to tackling social issues
BANGI: Social issues such as child marriage, teen pregnancy, domestic violence, and intergenerational conflict cannot be resolved without the active involvement of the community and establishment of character education.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said there is an urgent need to overhaul the educational approach to be more comprehensive, encompassing aspects of values, ethics and character development of students, while also emphasising the role of parents and the community in educating children.
She outlined concerns regarding several social statistics that do not show positive changes, particularly related to the persistently high divorce rate, cases of women killed due to domestic violence, and issues of family disharmony involving the elderly and children.
'The home is not safe for women when this happens within the house and women die at the hands of their partners,' she said while speaking at the 'Pesona Inspirasi Keluarga MADANI' programme here today.
Meanwhile, she also emphasised the importance of the Reproductive and Social Health Education (PEERS) module in addressing issues involving adolescents and children.
'I don't think it is still taboo in society when social crises occur in the community,' she added.
The Ministry of Education (MOE) will use the PEERS module starting from the 2027 school year.
PEERS will be taught through the Health Education curriculum from preschool to secondary school, and students will be equipped with information and skills, particularly psychosocial competencies, to make informed decisions in their daily lives.
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