by Hsu Siu-man
Young people are forming their views on sex and relationships beyond the classroom. The task we face is to ensure that they have the guidance they need.
Hong Kong’s approach to sex education remains largely unchanged, anchored in biology, risk avoidance and moral caution. However, the world young people inhabit has decisively shifted. Their understanding of relationships, identity and intimacy is no longer learnt only in the classroom (or family), but through digital spaces, peer networks and global conversations that far outpace the curriculum.
This has created a widening gap between what is taught and what is lived. While schools continue to deliver essential knowledge, they often stop short of addressing the realities young people face: how to interpret consent in practice, navigate relationships, or make sense of what they encounter online. The issue is no longer a lack of information, but a lack of grounding.
As young people’s attitudes and behaviours are increasingly shaped outside the classroom, by digital spaces, peer networks and wider social influences, this gap continues to widen.
The question, then, is not simply whether sex education should change, but how responsibility for that change is shared. It calls for a broader view of the ecosystem surrounding young people, recognising the role of youth services, families, digital platforms, and community organisations in shaping understanding.
The issue is no longer a lack of information, but a lack of grounding.
So, what might this look like?
It could begin by reframing sex education as part of a broader set of life skills. Beyond knowledge, young people need opportunities to develop judgement, communication and self-awareness. They need to be able to ask the challenging questions, such as how to recognise pressure, both online and offline, how to navigate rejection or set boundaries, or what respect looks like in practice, particularly in environments where social interactions are immediate and highly visible.
These are not questions that have fixed answers. They require space for dialogue, sharing, context and connection to real experiences.
Creating such space does not rest with schools alone. Youth programmes, community initiatives and informal learning environments can complement formal education by offering settings where conversations are less constrained and where young people may feel more able to ask difficult questions. Equally, digital tools, if thoughtfully designed, can provide accessible, credible points of reference in an information-saturated environment.
These developments do not absolve the parents or educators, who, for the most part, are willing to participate, but remain hesitant. They are concerned about saying the wrong thing or opening discussions they feel unprepared to manage. This points to a practical area for development: not only resources for young people, but support for the adults around them, so that dialogue becomes more feasible and less fraught.
Dialogue becomes more feasible when adults feel supported and not scrutinised.
There is also value in involving young people more directly in these conversations. Peer-led approaches, when thoughtfully supported, can draw out perspectives adults might miss, while making more open and respectful dialogue feel normal.
Taken together, these strands suggest that progress is less about a single intervention and more about alignment. How can different parts of the system, including schools, families, community organisations and policymakers, act in a more coordinated way? Where are the most evident gaps, and which approaches are already showing promise?
In this context, organisations, like the HKFYG, with our front-line staff working closely with young people, are well placed to contribute direct insights. We learn what questions are being asked, where misunderstandings persist and how young people are navigating the tension between competing messages. Such insights can help inform a more practical and responsive conversation around policy and practice.
Underlying all of this is a broader shift in perspective. Sex education cannot remain a contained subject, addressed intermittently and cautiously. It intersects with mental well-being, digital behaviour, identity and relationships. Treating it as something peripheral risks leaving young people to make connections on their own, often without sufficient guidance.
So, how do we better respond to young people and their realities?
It may involve accepting that not every conversation will be comfortable or conclusive. It requires placing greater emphasis on listening and equipping adults to engage without needing to have all the answers. It also calls for recognising that openness, when rooted in respect, does not dilute values; it helps clarify them.
In a landscape where information is abundant but interpretation is uneven, the need is not for more content, but for clearer anchors. What matters is creating the conditions for young people to reflect, question and make sense of their experiences with greater confidence.
They are already having these conversations. Our responsibility now is to engage with them, honestly, deliberately and consistently, as a shared commitment. ■