Ongoing reproductive, social health education necessary

PETALING JAYA: In an effort to raise awareness on reproductive health and prevent “risky behaviour”, as many as 5,864 Reproductive and Social Health Education (Pekerti) programmes were carried out from 2011 to 2022.

The Women, Family and Community Development Ministry, through the National Population and Family Development Board, said it has set up 18 KafeTeen Youth Centres to increase access to Pekerti, which has benefited 296,211 teenagers and parents.

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The Pekerti programme targets those aged between 13 and 24, as well as the parents, guardians and educators of special needs children. The ministry said the programme has been expanded to schools, special education schools, Keluarga Malaysia Digital Economic Centres (PEDi) and local communities.

Information on health reproductive services, psychosocial counselling services, education programmes and skills development are also available to teenagers via KafeTeen Youth Centres.

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The ministry also said that from 2006 to 2022, a total of 843,222 teenagers throughout the country participated in the Education and Skills Development Programme implemented through KafeTeen Youth Centres.

“A total of 37,435 teenagers have benefited from the Reproductive Health Advisory Service while 19,228 teenagers have sought social counselling services at KafeTeen Youth Centres,” the ministry said in a statement to The Star, adding that the National Population and Family Development Board has also collaborated with the Education Ministry to run KafeTeen with the Peer Mentor Programme focusing on reproductive and social health education for secondary students.

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A collaboration with the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) was also implemented to spread awareness on reproductive and social health among target teenage groups in rural communities.

The KafeTeen Youth Centre programme is conducted physically at its premises, but is also available through the myKafeTeen mobile app, social media, various outreach programmes and KafeTeen Trucks, especially in rural areas.

KafeTeen Youth Centres also encourage teenagers to register as a Sahabat KafeTeen. To date, 127,482 teenagers have registered.