She said it must involve schools, parents, and various government agencies, and stressed that sex education should no longer be treated as a taboo subject, Bernama reported.

“It should be recognised as a crucial element in shaping values and protecting children and adolescents, particularly in today’s increasingly digital world,” she was quoted as saying.

“Sex education is included in the school curriculum, but its content remains limited and it is often under-emphasised. This is a shortcoming that we must address immediately.”

She said this is because of the reluctance of teachers to address the topic, often due to shyness or cultural sensitivities.

Nancy was speaking to the media after opening a statehood seminar in Lundu, Sarawak, today.

She said sex education was not solely the responsibility of her ministry, and required an integrated approach, with emphasis on the role of parents in educating children about moral values and personal safety.

“This is an issue that concerns the safety and well-being of our children, so we are actively exploring the most effective and comprehensive ways to address it,” she added.

Her ministry, she said, would also ensure that parenting programmes would contain elements of sex education to help parents communicate with their children openly and safely on the topic.

Her comments also echo that of child activists, who were reported to have said that cultural taboos continue to cloud conversations surrounding sex education, leaving young people vulnerable to abuse, misinformation and peer pressure.

Recently, Kelantan police chief Yusoff Mamat said he was concerned about the growing number of underage sex cases in the state, with girls as young as 10 and boys as young as 11 found to be engaging in sexual activity.