Rise in teen STD cases

Over 900 tested positive, with some as young as 13, says Fadhlina

A TOTAL of 913 teenagers, some as young as 13, had tested positive for sexually transmitted diseases (STD) between 2018 and 2022, says Fadhlina Sidek (pic).

The Education Minister said these figures were based on information provided by the Health Ministry and involved syphilis, gonorrhoea, chancroid and human immunodeficiency virus.

“Based on notifications from the Health Ministry, there were 255 cases of STDs among 13- to 17-year-olds in 2018, while in 2019, a total of 225 STD cases were recorded,” she said in a written reply to Dr Halimah Ali (PN-Kapar) yesterday,

She added that a total of 191 cases were recorded in 2020, 96 cases in 2021 and 146 last year.

Fadhlina also said some 3% of students who underwent urine tests in 2019 tested positive for drugs.

She said the percentage dropped by 2.16% in 2020 while no urine tests were carried out in 2021 due to home-based teaching and learning during Covid-19 lockdowns.

“In 2022, a total of 1.18% of students who underwent urine test tested positive while as at September this year, a total of 0.64% tested positive,” added Fadhlina.

She said the urine tests were carried out by the Education Ministry and the National Anti-Drug Agency (AADK).

Meanwhile, Fadhlina said the number of school dropouts was on a downward trend from 2018 to 2022.

She added that the percentage of school dropouts reduced from 1.21% of all students in 2018 to 0.99% in 2022.

Last year, 4.66% of school dropouts was involved in negative activities while the percentage was 4.53% as at September this year.

Based on the Student Discipline System, Fadhlina said these activities included bullying, truancy, smoking, obscene behaviour and mischief.