How Comprehensive Sexuality Education is Implemented and Perceived in Malaysia: A Systematic Review

Abstract

The implementation of comprehensive sexual education in Malaysia is fraught with challenges despite existing policies mandating its inclusion. Consequently, Malaysian youth lack adequate knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to sexual health. This systematic study endeavors to explore how comprehensive SE is implemented in Malaysia as perceived by parents, school teachers, and university students and to recommend potential solutions to enhance the effective delivery of comprehensive sexual education in Malaysia. The PRISMA Statement is used in the review process. A total of four articles that meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria were collected from four databases. One study examined the parents’ perception of SE. One study focused on Islamic teachers’ attitudes toward SE and two studies discussed the perceptions and attitudes toward SE among university students. Enhancing sexual education in Malaysia requires a comprehensive approach including the misconception on the impact of sex education, curriculum revision, the readiness of the trained teachers or trainers, lack of family and parental involvement as well as lack of multidisciplinary collaboration. Experts from various stakeholders are encouraged to collaborate effectively in harmonizing the subject in ensuring that it can be recognized as comprehensive sexual education and subsequently improve the sexual health of its citizens.