Education

The Effect of Sex Education on Adolescents’ Sexual Behaviour Among Senior Secondary Schools Students

The Effect of Sex Education on Adolescents’ Sexual Behaviour Among Senior Secondary Schools Students

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of sex education on adolescents’ sexual behavior among senior secondary school students in Ijebu North Local government, Ogun state. The study utilizes a descriptive survey design. The sample population consists of sixty students randomly drawn from six senior secondary schools, in Ijebu North local government. The instruments used to elicit information from the respondents were questionnaires designed by the researcher. Descriptive statistical tools such as grand mean and arithmetic mean were used to interpret the data collected. The result shows that it is important to impact knowledge about sex education, sixty seven percent (67%) of the population lacks the knowledge. From the survey, it was evident that sex education, when provided is effective for adolescents but most of them do not have the knowledge. Adolescents need to be provided accurate and correct information about sex to form a good attitude and beliefs toward sex. Conclusively, sex education should be part of the school curriculum to educate adolescents. Parents should develop effective communication skills with their children, be their friends, and have a positive attitude toward sex.

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY

Sex education, which is sometimes called sexuality education or sex and relationships education, is the process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and beliefs about sex, sexual identity, relationships, and intimacy. Sex education is also about developing young people’s skills so that they can make informed choices about their behavior, and feel confident and competent about acting on these choices. It is widely accepted that young people have a right to sex education. This is because it is a means by which they are helped to protect themselves against abuse, exploitation, unintended pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases. Providing an effective sex education helps to meet young people’s rights to information about matters that affect them, their right to have their needs met, and to help them enjoy their sexuality and the relationships that they form. To contribute to adolescents’ full social and economic potential, young people need the knowledge and skills to make choices about when to have sex and how to protect themselves from infection and unintended pregnancies.

Comprehensive sex education curricula have been endorsed by various governmental agencies, educational organizations, and teenage advocacy groups as the most effective educational method for reducing teenage pregnancy and helping prevent the spread of sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among adolescents. Numerous surveys have suggested increased sexual experimentation by increasing numbers of teenagers at younger ages each year. Often, the outcome of this behavior can have adverse consequences such as unplanned pregnancy and sexually acquired infections. It is necessary to understand some of the features of puberty and adolescence which increase the risk of STDs and their attendant complications.

Sex education that works also helps equip young people with the skills to be able to differentiate between accurate and inaccurate information and to discuss a range of moral and social issues and perspectives on sex and sexuality, including different cultural attitudes and sensitive issues like sexuality, abortion, and contraception.

Akerele (2004) wrote that “sex is something you do, sexuality is something you are.” This way of understanding sex highlights the difference between the act of sex and the individual experience of sexuality, which is an intrinsic part of who we are, one that can’t be separated from ourselves anymore than our ethnicity or religious/spiritual beliefs. Sexuality is a natural and precious aspect of life, an essential and fundamental part of our humanity. For people to attain the highest standard of health they must first be empowered to exercise choice in their sexual and reproductive lives; they must feel confident and safe in expressing their own sexual identity.

Sex is probably one area of our lives about which we know so little. And whatever little we happen to know about sex in bits and pieces through sources like friends, acquaintances, and cheap sex books (Hoshi, 1987; Tjaden, 1988; Kumar, 1993). It is indeed ironic that while sex is such an important aspect of our life, parents, elders, and teachers hardly play any significant role in providing scientific knowledge.

Since talking about sex is taboo in our society, adolescents cannot freely approach/her parents for guidance. Also, those who seek guidance from parents are not satisfied because they later try to evade discussion or are not able to give satisfactory answers. A few of them try to gather information through books, films, or from friends but a majority do not have access to such information. Many a time, the adolescent receives wrong information and these myths and misconceptions are carried throughout their lifetime. Therefore, there is a need to provide adolescents with information to enable them to cope better with these changes. Though there is a need to educate adolescents on sex education, parents oppose such educational programs due to the fear that imparting sex education would lead to experimentation with sex.

Providing information through sex education is therefore about finding out what young people already know and adding to their existing knowledge and correcting any misinformation they may have.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

The physical, psychological, and social attributes of adolescence make young people particularly vulnerable to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) (Busari A.O.2003). Adolescents often are not able to comprehend fully the risk exposure. Societies often compound young people’s risk by making it difficult for them to learn about sex education and reproductive health. Moreover, many youths are socially inexperienced and dependent on others, and peer pressure often influences them in a way that can influence their risk. When an adolescent is not given or provided the necessary information about sex, it places them at risk of getting pregnant, committing abortion, or even contracting a sexually transmitted disease which makes it a problem.

Sex education primarily concerns teaching sex roles, conception, happy married life, childbirth, and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Where sex education is lacking, youths will be deprived of the knowledge of the human reproductive system. There will be a misuse of sex for other things. There will be a high spread of sexually transmitted diseases. There will also be an increase in the dangers of adolescent pregnancy. Finally, the interpersonal relationship may be poor. So after considering the above problems that could result from lack of sex education, it was therefore considered imperative to find out the effect of sex education on adolescents in Ijebu North local government, Ogun state.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

1) To investigate adolescents’ knowledge about sex education.

2) To ascertain the effects of sex education on adolescents.

3) To identify the risk associated with sexual activity among adolescents.

4) To examine the attitude of adolescents toward sex education.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1) What is the level of knowledge about sex education in adolescents?

2) What are the effects of sex education on adolescents?

3) What is the risk associated with sexual activity among adolescents?

4) What are the strategies which could be adopted in the teaching of sex education?

5) What are the aims of the introduction or teaching of sex education in secondary schools?

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

The study will add to the adolescents’ knowledge of sex education. The study is considered very necessary in many respects, so its significance includes:

Mothers: this study will enable mothers to appreciate the need for them to develop a positive attitude toward sex education. The knowledge which the mothers will derive from this study would enable them to know how to teach their children and prevent them from contracting venereal diseases.

Teachers: The teachers stand to benefit from this study. It will expose them to various techniques and strategies to adopt in imparting sex education by delivering lessons to the students without invading their privacy.

Policymaker: The outcome of this study will provide data for policymakers in the area of sex education. With such information, the relevant government agencies will draw up guidelines for the teaching of sex education in secondary and primary schools.

Curriculum: The study, when completed will generate data for curriculum planners when developing a curriculum on sex education.

Researcher: This study will act as a springboard for future researchers who may wish to carry out a study on human sexuality, it will also make the researchers realize the importance of sex education in human life.

1.6 LIMITATION/SCOPE OF THE STUDY

There are many schools under Ijebu north local government, but for the study, six secondary schools as listed below were randomly selected

1.   Muslim High school, Ago-Iwoye

2.   Ago-Iwoye secondary, Ago-Iwoye

3.   Obanta Comprehensive High school, Oru

4.   Mercy Model College, Oru

5.   Japara High school, Ijebu-Igbo

7.   Molusi College, Ijebu-Igbo.

1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

IMPACT: To have an important or noticeable effect on something.

ADOLESCENT: Developing of adult mental processes and identity and also the transition from total socio-economic dependence to relative independence.



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