TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ATTITUDES TOWARDS TEACHING OF SEX EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
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TEACHERS AND STUDENTS ATTITUDES TOWARDS TEACHING OF SEX EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS
This study examines instructors’ and students’ attitudes towards teaching sex education in secondary schools in Enugu education zone, Enugu State.
This study was carried out in three local government areas that comprised the zone. They are: Enugu North, Enugu East, and Isi-Uzo. The zone is made up of thirty-four (34) secondary schools, ten of which were randomly selected and employed for this study.
The information was gathered via questionnaire items based on four study topics. The researchers created twenty-item questionnaires that were organised on a modified likert scale: highly agree, agree, disagree, and strongly disagree.
The researchers provided some proposals, including making sex education mandatory for all secondary school students and replacing the topic family life with sex education.
Chapter One: Introduction
Background of the study
Sex education, also known as sexuality education or sex and relationship education, is the process of learning about sex, sexual identity, relationships, and intimacy while also developing attitudes and beliefs about them.
According to Ross David A (2008), sex education aims to limit the likelihood of potentially negative consequences from sexual behaviour, such as unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases. He also stated that the goal is to improve the quality of relationships by developing young people’s minds and capacities to make decisions throughout their lives.
It is also about giving young people the skills they need to make informed decisions about their behaviour and feel confident and capable in acting on them. It is commonly agreed that young people have the right to sex education, in part because it helps them protect themselves from abuse, exploration, unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV/AIDS.
Nwachukwu Egbunike Guardian Newspaper May (2004) is a medical laboratory scientist in Ibadan who focusses on minimising hazardous behaviours among teenagers. He observed that facts are never cited by proponents of contraception, who are adamant about its usage as the safest method of preventing HIV/AIDS.
Some schools of thought believed that students should be allowed to discover things for themselves about sex education, but others believed that the subject should be taught in schools to help Nigerian youth with their sex problems and relationships with the other sex.
Yinka Osasona According to Sun News March (2009), understanding of sex education could go a long way towards assisting adolescents in avoiding significant injury to their bodies as well as the dreaded diseases. Traditionally, youngsters were kept in the dark about sex until they married.
According to Shine S A (2004), practically all education authorities (around the world) believe that schoolchildren must learn about the changes that occur in their bodies and minds as they develop into adulthood.
They must be guided to the type of behaviour that society expects of them in terms of the sexual aspect of their lives. He emphasised that the goal is to provide both children and youths with a scientific understanding of the subject matter and to develop a positive and critical attitude towards the practice and satisfaction of sexual feelings and derives.
Sex education has different meanings for different authors. Dick and Ross A (2006) explained that sex education entails teaching and learning to recognise and accept human sexuality in oneself and others, with the goal of using the knowledge to maximise creativity and fulfilment in people’s lives.
Ross David (2008) clarifies the meaning of sex education, stating that it is distinct from sex information and can be described as character education.
He also states that it consists of instruction to develop understanding of the physical, mental, emotional, social, economic, and psychological phases of human relations as they are affected by male and female relationships.
However, this concept of sex education is not accepted in many secondary schools in Enugu educational zone, thus a failure to understand that in any human society to realise the inevitability of sexual relationship and the need to measure up to a certain required standard for safety in sexual relationships has made sex education an issue of great importance from experience, the researchers maintained that people in some parts of the world do not encourage premarital relations.
According to Johnson (2008), students learn a lot about sex through the perspectives of their parents, family members, and other members of society. This is also evident in the answers given to children’s questions at home;
however, not all parents are capable of providing such desired responses, leaving such youngsters with a great deal of doubt and embarrassment about sex. He remarked that this could cause fear and astonishment, which could influence thoughts about sex even in adulthood.
Ross David. A. (2008) believes that educational administrators must develop an effective program of study that will present these teenagers with accurate and adequate information about sex. Furthermore, social changes, particularly in family standards, sexual behaviour, and attitudes towards marriage, are affecting almost all societies; thus, it is critical to educate young people/students on sex issues so that they can base their future lives on sound and ethical principles.
In light of this, it is important to investigate the attitudes of instructors and students towards the teaching of sex education in Enugu education zone of Enugu state, in order to determine whether sex education is receiving adequate attention.
Statement of the Problem
Sex education has been viewed by various researchers, teachers, and students as having caused some social problems such as illegal abortion, unintended pregnancies that usually result in untimely death
the spread of some sexual diseases (such as gonorrhoea, staphylococcus, and HIV/AIDS), and a high rate of bastardisation in society. It can also lead to social wrongdoing including masturbation, paedophilia, voyeurism, and bestiality.
To summarise, these issues have posed significant risks to people and society as a whole. The researchers are concerned that proper sex education instruction in schools will go a long way towards resolving these issues.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY.
Specifically, the study intended to determine the following:
Teachers’ attitudes towards teaching sex education in secondary schools in the Enugu educational zone.
Students’ attitudes towards sex education in secondary schools.
The extent to which sex education is taught in secondary schools.
How sex education might be taught more effectively in secondary schools.
Significance of the Study
The significance of this finding cannot be overstated. The findings are intended to help curriculum makers rethink sex education in the school curriculum. The findings of this study will serve as a foundation for the general public to access the values of sex education in the secondary school system.
This will ideally help to gradually eliminate various social issues, such as abortion, unwanted pregnancies, the spread of sexually transmitted illnesses, HIV/AIDS, and a high prevalence of bastardisation.
This study will help teachers to commit time and interest to teaching sex education in secondary schools, so making a difference in their lives and making the study more appealing to them.
This study will increase the student’s understanding of sex, its negative consequences, and risks. Most significantly, it will provide valuable resources for future researchers.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY:
The scope of this investigation includes the following:
An investigation into teachers’ attitudes towards teaching sex education in secondary schools in the Enugu education zone.
An investigation into student attitudes towards sex education teaching and learning in secondary schools in the Enugu education zone.
RESEARCH QUESTIONS:
Does the attitude of instructors influence the teaching of sex education in secondary schools in the Enugu education zone?
How do secondary school students in Enugu’s education zone perceive sex education teaching and learning?
Is it necessary to have specialised teachers while teaching sex education in secondary schools?
How can sex education be taught effectively in secondary schools?
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