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INVESTIGATING THE BARRIERS OF TEACHING SEX EDUCATION IN PRIMARY SCHOOL

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

In Nigeria, the implementation of sex education has been a difficult process. Although several laws have been enacted since 1984 to promote this educative domain, only sporadic efforts have been made to teach sex education, and only in a few schools (Vaz et al., 1996). More recently, legal documents reinforced the compulsory approach to “sexual health promotion and human sexuality” as early as primary school. In 2000 the Federal Ministry of Education published the book “Sex Education in Schools – guidelines”. This document not only defines scientific contents, but also explicitly indicates the need to cover values in sex education as well as attitudes and competencies (CCPES et al., 2000).

In primary school the basic goal is “to enable children to build their «relational Self», through a better knowledge of their body, the understanding of their origin, the affective valorisation and the critical reflection about gender social roles” (CCPES et al., 2000: 66). Though all these legal and school orientations have been produced, in general, teachers continue to avoid dealing with sex education. This situation has been highlighted by students demonstrating in the street for the need for school sex education, by media debates (TV, radio, newspapers, magazines) as well as in our work with primary school teachers in their complementary formation and during in-service training courses.

Being aware of this situation, our goal is to investigate the origins of primary school teachers’ resistance to implementing sex education. A priori, we suppose that a possible difficulty in dealing with sex education is that teachers have low scientific and pedagogical knowledge of this topic. However, the literature shows that other factors, such as social representations (for example, convictions, beliefs, ideologies, morality) and life history can interact with knowledge in the construction of conceptions (Clément, 1994; De Vecchi & Giordan, 2002; Kehily, 2002).

Conceptions are typically well-anchored and affect the learning or the acceptation of new knowledge. A conception is based on the set of mental images and models that are present in the student's mind before the learning experience and that actively participate throughout the process of knowledge construction (De Vecchi & Giordan, 2002). If they are not considered in the teaching process, conceptions tend to last and to become stronger with time.

Clément (1998) proposed the integration of systems of values and social practices at the same level as the scientific contents. This modified model of didactical transposition, when applied to sex education, shows that teachers’ conceptions (C) result from the interaction between their scientific knowledge (K) in this area, their systems of values (V) and their social and professional practices (P).

Practitioners have identified a real need for sex and relationship guidance in primary schools that would enable young people to make informed choices about sexual relationships and practices (UBEC 2003). To meet this need primary school teachers are increasingly expected to act as sexual health promoters in the classroom even though the vast majority of teachers have not received specific training on sex and relationship education either as part of their teacher training or subsequently as part of their continuing professional development. The training and support of teachers is vital to the effective promotion of sexual health and well-being, especially given the sensitivity of the issues involved and the anxieties that many teachers experience in delivering this part of the curriculum.

The delivery of sex education in schools has been described as ‘patchy’ (UBEC 2000a) and despite a range of initiatives supporting sexual health promotion in schools and the wider community, such as the SHARE (Sexual Health and Relationships: Safe, Happy and Responsible) programme that focused on 13-15 years old, the extent to which schools are meeting the UBEC’s expectations on sex and relationship education remains unclear. Nonetheless, education practitioners and health promotion specialists have recognised that there is a compelling need to provide advice and guidance on sexual health and relationships in primary schools to enable young people to make positive and informed choices about sexual relationships and practices (UBEC 2000a). The UBEC in recognising this need, and following the publication of the McCabe Report (UBEC 2000a), provided specific guidance on the content of SRE curriculum to local authorities and schools (UBEC 2000b) and also published a leaflet for parents and carers outlining what their child would be taught as part of the SRE curriculum (UBEC 2001).

In January 2005 the UBEC published its Sexual Health Strategy in Respect & Responsibility: Strategy & Action Plan for Improving Sexual Health. The sexual health strategy is premised on the belief that “sexual relationships are best delayed until a person is sufficiently mature to participate in a mutually respectful relationship” and that the purpose of sex and relationship education is “to delay sexual activity” (UBEC 2005:15). The strategy underlines the important role that teachers and schools have in improving the sexual health of young people in partnership with parents and health professions:

Schools have a crucial part to play in fostering healthy attitudes towards relationships, sex and sexuality in young people. All schools are expected to provide sex and relationships education. High-quality sex and relationships education should be delivered in an objective, balanced and sensitive manner by professionals who are trained for this role and who are able to support and complement the role of parents and carers as educators of children and young people. (UBEC 2005:15)

Respect & Responsibility reiterated the UBEC’s commitment to implementing the recommendations of the McCabe Report and affirmed that the delivery of SRE should be “consistent with the principles and aims of national guidance on the conduct of sex education issued by the Executive in 2001” (UBEC 2005:15). With Scotland having high rates of sexually transmitted infections and teenage pregnancy compared to other western European countries, the UBEC has recognised that the promotion of better sexual health is in part dependent on the delivery of a successful sex and relationship programme to young people throughout their educational career. The UBEC has suggested that the characteristics associated with a successful sex and relationship programme include flexible delivery in a variety of formats delivered in conjunction with a range of both statutory and voluntary providers in the locality with well supported and trained teachers at its core: 

Supporting teachers is key to the successful delivery of sex and relationship education, and the Executive is committed to ensuring that teachers receive appropriate training and continuing professional development, as well as knowledge about service delivery. Teachers will also benefit from being part of an integrated team delivering school-based sex and relationships education which receives clear policy direction regarding roles and responsibilities and whose work complements that of parents and carers, who will also be informed and supported as educators in sex and relationships. (UBEC 2005:16)

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Although the UBEC has emphasised the importance of delivering age-appropriate sex and relationship education throughout primary and secondary school, the limited research in this area has tended to focus on the incorporation of sex education in secondary schools. There is little evaluative data for primary schools.  This may be a reflection that a greater proportion of sex education is taught in secondary schools and the assumption that primary school children do not need this information because of their sexual ‘innocence’. Clearly, the issue of childhood sexuality is controversial not only because many people believe that childhood is ‘a period of asexual innocence’ (Weis 1999:91) but also because of a growing fear concerning the sexualisation of children which rests upon the assumption ‘that childhood should be devoid of sexuality’ (Weis 1999:93). Such assumptions make conducting research into childhood sexuality fraught with difficulties since references to sex and sexuality may be viewed as having a corrupting influence.  However, a strong argument has been made that sex education should start in primary schools in order to provide ‘positive information about sex and sexual health’ (UBEC 2000a) and lay the groundwork for addressing sexual health challenges with young people in secondary schools (Wallis and Vanevery 2000).  Nevertheless, despite calls from public health specialists for sexual health promotion to begin in primary schools, and the UBEC’s (2005: 24) direction to local authorities that SRE should be “based on health guidelines and built upon throughout primary school as part of 5-14 health guidelines”, we know very little about what is actually being taught and how this varies between schools and local authorities.

However, the SHARE data would indicate that in primary schools, at least, the content and time allocated to personal and social education programmes varies widely between local education authorities, schools within a particular authority, and even within a school itself (Buston, Wight and Scott 2001). The SHARE analysis also found that teachers find talking openly about sexual health and relationships ‘difficult’, yet the support and training available for teachers in the delivery of sexual health promotion is currently limited, varies across education authorities, and lacks statutory status (Buston, Wight and Scott 2001).  Given the UBEC’s recognition of the need for teachers to be both well trained and supported, it is imperative that training programmes such as Health Promotion’s Sexuality & Relationship Training for Primary School Teachers are evaluated in order to assess how far they are able to meets teachers’ support needs.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The Main Objective of the study is to investigate the barriers of teaching sex education in primary schools. A case study of selected primary schools in Ikeja, Lagos state; The specific objectives include:

i. To find out if there are barriers in teaching sex education in primary schools.

ii. To evaluate teachers’ perceptions about obstacles that prevent them teaching Sex Education in primary school.

iii. To identify the factors militating against teaching sex education in primary schools.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

i. Are there barriers in teaching sex education in primary schools?

ii. What are the barriers in teaching sex education in primary schools?

iii. What are the factors militating against teaching sex education in primary schools?

1.5 STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESIS

Ho1: There are no barriers in teaching sex education in primary schools.

Ho2: There is no factor militating against teaching sex education in primary schools.

1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study will be of immense benefit to other researchers who intend to know more on this study and can also be used by non-researchers to build more on their research work. This study contributes to knowledge and could serve as a guide for other study.

1.7 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The study proffers an investigation on the barriers of teaching sex education in primary schools. A case study of selected primary schools in Ikeja, Lagos state. It provides relevant data on the barriers of teaching sex education in primary schools.

1.8 LIMITATION OF THE STUDY

The study was confronted with logistics and geographical factors. Other limitations include;

Financial constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).

Time constraint: The researcher will simultaneously engage in this study with other academic work. This consequently will cut down on the time devoted for the research work.

1.9 DEFINITION OF TERMS

Sex Education: This is high quality teaching and learning about a broad variety of topics related to sex and sexuality.

Primary School: A primary school, elementary school, or grade school is a school for primary education of children who are 4 to 10 years of age. Primary schooling follows preschool and precedes secondary schooling.

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