I trust that the sexuality education curriculum has grown more comprehensive and holistic over the years (Sexuality education current and in step with societal trends, by the Ministry of Education, March 13).

For primary and secondary school students, there is a sexuality education syllabus, which is reviewed regularly.

So the programme is somewhat consistent across teachers and schools. Teachers undergo training and are guided by the Ministry of Education's (MOE) sexuality education framework.

This is not so at the pre-school level. While body safety programmes such as KidzLive by the Singapore Children's Society do exist, sexuality education is not compulsory for pre-schoolers.

But it needs to be. It is natural for pre-school children to be curious about their bodies. They often notice similarities and differences among bodies, as well as ask questions about sexual reproduction and babies.

Early childhood educators need to be prepared to discuss such matters and handle such situations. In addition, they need to be trained to communicate on this topic using age-appropriate language.

Sexual violence does not just happen at the college level. And it is not just teens and young adults who need to understand consent and boundaries.

Proper sexuality education enables pre-schoolers to communicate their concerns and protect themselves from abuse.

It need not be overly complicated. Even young children can be taught to differentiate between "good touch" and "bad touch".

Open, truthful and non-judgmental sexuality education can also help children develop a healthy appreciation and understanding of their body, which lasts a lifetime.

Sexuality education is a journey. And it must start at the very earliest stages of life to be most effective.

Chin Hui Wen