SCHOOL BASED SEX EDUCATION: PERSPECTIVES OF TEACHERS AND STUDENTS IN SENIOR HIGH SCHOOLS IN THE TAMALE METROPOLIS

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the perspectives of teachers and students in Senior High Schools in the Tamale Metropolis on school-based sex education. Provision of sexuality education in schools has been identified as a key strategy in promoting the sexual and reproductive health of adolescents as it equips them with the knowledge, skills and efficacy to make informed decisions about their sexuality and lifestyle in the mist of numerous and conflicting messages about their gender and sexuality. Though sex education was introduced in the curricula of pre-tertiary schools in Ghana, little is known about the perspectives/views of teachers and students on this school-based sex education. The study was cross sectional descriptive that employed both qualitative and quantitative methods. A total of 403 students in six senior high schools were selected using multi-stage sampling method. Teachers who handled sex education in schools were purposively sampled. Data were collected through a questionnaire, focus group discussions and interview guide. Quantitative data was analyzed using SPSS version 16.0 whilst data from the focus group discussions and interview were analyzed manually. Both teachers and students favored the school-based sex education but were not fully satisfied with the provision of only knowledge on contraceptives, STIs/HIV/AIDS without skills acquisition on how to handle risky sexual situations. Lack of training for teachers on adolescent reproductive health, culture and religious factors were identified as some of the challenges associated with teaching sex education in schools. There is the need to constantly train teachers, especially those who handle sex-education on adolescent reproductive health issues. There is the need for the designers of the sex-education program to look into ways of mitigating the negative influence of the Ghanaian culture and religious beliefs on school-based sex education.