THE IMPORTANCE OF SEXUALITY EDUCATION TO PRESCHOOL CHILDREN IN MALAYSIA

Zarina Eshak*, Azizah Zain
Sultan Idris Education University, Malaysia

ABSTRACT

This article discusses sexuality health education in the context of preschool children in Malaysia. This study aims to examine the importance of sexuality education to preschool children through the preschool teacher’s perspectives. The study was a survey method using a questionnaire comprising Likert scale with questions analyzed with percentage. The sample were randomly choose comprised of 45 pre-school teachers from Tanah Merah, Kelantan, Malaysia. A total of 44 participants (97.8%) agreed that sexuality education among preschool children help to prevent children from sexual abuse or criminal behavior related to sexuality. While 42 participants (93.4%) agreed that preschoolers should be taught verbally and related exercises about the sexual body parts and the need to take care of the members. A total of 36 participants (80%) agreed that role of parents is crucial to ensuring the success of sexuality education to help the school. The overall study found that 40 participants (88.9%) agreed that the importance of establishing a sexuality education module would provide guidelines for teachers and parents thus to ensure sexuality education appropriate to the development and needs of preschool children. Howbeit, this study aim to help preschool teachers to excogitate more sexuality education activities efficiently so the learning not only give exposure to children about sexuality education, thus combat sexual crime involving children.

KEYWORDS

Sexuality education, importance of sexuality education, preschoolers, preschool teacher