KAPIT: State Assemblyman for Bukit Goram, Jefferson Jamit Unyat, reminded students here to give priority and focus on their studies and to put relationships aside while at school. “Students must know why your parents sent you to school. There is a purpose to prepare for your future destiny. Parents have high expectations to send children to school, hoping they do well and later be successful in life.
“Investing in education is the most worthy of all investments because knowledge and skill are valuable in life. It determines a person’s future. Therefore, while in school, set your goal to aim for success in school work. Focus on studies to achieve excellent. “Having a minimum qualification of a pass in SPM is surely not enough in modern living.
Secondary education is to prepare for higher learning at university”, said Jamit. He said this while attending the closing ceremony of the ‘Social Intervention Program – Sexual Awareness and Education Approach’ held at SMK Selirik on Saturday.
The one-day programme was attended by Form Three and Form Four students of SMK Selirik. “Kapit is growing and we need more professionals like architects, engineers, surveyors, town planners, accountants, medical officers and many more. Aim high, to be somebody and concentrate on your studies.
To pursue a degree, you must score good results in SPM or STPM to qualify for professional course. “While in school, set aside relationships. This is not the time to fall in love as having an intimate relationship with someone from the opposite sex would bring negative impact on your studies.
“You must be disciplined, and be firm in saying ‘no’. Teenage pregnancy would ruin the future because one is not ready and would also have negative social implications,” stressed Jamit. Jamit pointed out that Sarawak recorded the highest rate of teenage pregnancies in Malaysia. He highlighted that although teenage pregnancy rates have decreased since 2015, cases of unmarried pregnancy have increased since 2012. “Sarawak has highest teenage pregnancy rate at 6.4 percent to 9.9 percent as compared to 2.4 percent to 4.1 percent nationwide.
The government aims to reduce it by 10 percent a year compared to previous years,” he said, adding that the government is making efforts to reduce the rates of teenage pregnancy through social intervention and education. Talking on the program, Jamit stressed on the fact that talking about sex is not encouraging promiscuity.
He explained that it was about making teenagers aware of what is happening with their bodies, what are the respectful ways of treating their bodies and the bodies of others, and how to act responsibly when there is a decision to engage in sexual activity.
“Parents tend to avoid discussing the issue of sex with their children. They need to realise that while it may seem embarrassing, it is very important for them to have an open and healthy discussion on sex with their children,” he said.
He added that there is no evidence to suggest that comprehensive sex education increases sexual activity. “It was good that the government introduced the reproductive health and social education modules at certain adolescent centres, National Service Training Programs and selected schools. But since the program is still quite new, its effectiveness has not yet been shown,” he said.
He said it is understood that the government’s reproductive health program in schools is pro-abstinence, or refraining from sexual intercourse, but information and access to information about contraception remains very limited among teenagers in Malaysia. “Therefore, it is not surprising that there has been a rise in teenage pregnancies over the past several years in our society since 2012.
“Since they lacked access to and knowledge of contraception, they ended up having unprotected sex. The truth is teenagers are having unprotected sex, which leads to a notable prevalence of teenage pregnancies.
“The majority of teenagers, at 58 percent, who fall pregnant in Sarawak are also not married,” he said. He said therefore, sexual health education should no longer be treated as a taboo subject, either by schools or parents. Parents and caregivers need to be more open and communicative with their children, especially on sex education.
“We need to guide our teenagers to have self-respect and to choose suitable friends who share the same value,” he said. Jamit pointed out that if parents were more open and truthful, it was more likely that the child would turn to them if they had doubts about any issues. “Children must be taught to say ‘no’ to unreasonable demands made by their peers without feeling pressured. Knowledge often has a positive impact.
“Teenagers must learn how to protect themselves in situations whereby they felt pressured. This is an important tool as it makes them aware of the consequences of their actions and will be careful with their choices in the future. “The danger of teenage pregnancies is that it often affects the health of the mother as well as the child,” he said. Jamit also called on the society to stop blaming girls for getting pregnant and accept that their partners were equally responsible, even more so if the girls were pressured into having sexual relations with them.
He warned the adverse effects of teenage pregnancy can echo throughout a girl’s life, and prevent her from achieving her full potential and enjoying her basic human rights. “Effects include social isolation, low academic achievement, nutritional depletion, low income earning and lifelong poverty,” said Jamit.
