SEX EDUCATION NEEDS OF ADOLESCENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS

SEX EDUCATION NEEDS OF ADOLESCENTS IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS IN ANAMBRA STATE, NIGERIA

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ABSTRACT

This study evolved the sex education needs of adolescents in secondary school of Anambra state.  Specifically, the study determined the sex related challenges (body changes, emotional changes and relationship with the opposite sex) of adolescents in secondary schools in Anambra State, the sex education knowledge needed by adolescents to cope with the sex related challenges, the sex education attitude required by adolescents to cope with the sex related challenges, the sex education skills needed by adolescents to cope with the sex related challenges, different ways of teaching sex education needs to adolescents in Anambra state.  Five research questions and five null hypotheses guided the study at 0.05 level of significance. Descriptive survey design was adopted for the study. The population consisted of 93,060 respondents, these included 81,020 adolescents, 4,138 teachers and 7,902 parents. Multistage sampling technique was adopted in the selection of 300 adolescents, 43 parents, and 40 teachers as sample for the study. The instrument for data collection was a 81- item structured questionnaire. The instrument was subjected to face validation by three experts. To obtain the reliability of the instrument, 20 copies of the questionnaire were trial tested on 20 similar respondents from Enugu State.  Cronbach Alpha reliability test was used to establish the internal consistency of the instrument with overall reliability index of 0.76. Data collected were analyzed by the rating scale of Agreed (A), Strongly Agreed (SA), Disagree (D) and Strongly Disagree (SD) using mean and standard deviation for the research questions and t-test for testing the null hypotheses at 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed  that the respondents agreed on 10 physical body changes  related challenges, 10 emotional changes related challenges and 11 relationship with the opposite sex related challenges,  making all the sex related challenges to  be 31items. The respondents also agreed on 14 sex education knowledge of adolescents in secondary schools, the attitudes needed are eleven. 11 skills required by adolescent to cope with their sex related challenges and 10 different ways of teaching sex education to adolescent were agreed by adolescents and teachers. Based on the findings, it was concluded that, the sex related challenges (body changes, emotional changes and relationships) of adolescents in junior secondary school, sex education knowledge, sex education attitudes, skills and ways of teaching sex education to adolescents evolves the sex education needs of adolescents in secondary schools.  Sex education knowledge, attitudes, skills and ways of teaching sex education are ways sex education needs of adolescents could be met. It was recommended that, schools should consider participating in the development and implementation of sexuality education curricula for schools to decrease the rates of unsafe adolescent sexual behavior and adverse outcomes.

 

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

Background to the Study

            Adolescence is the period in life of an individual between childhood and adulthood. The word adolescence is derived from a Latin word “adolescere” meaning “to grow” Adolescents are neither a child nor an adult between the age range of 10 – 19 years (WHO, 2009).  Such a person normally experiences various physical and psychological changes and challenges including those relating to sexuality.  The adolescent, therefore needs to be appropriately informed on issues relating to sex through relevant educational opportunities.  Such sex educational competencies can be provided through Home Economics education that should be able to equip adolescents with competencies (knowledge, skills and attitudes) in sex education to handle challenges relating to sexuality and be able to develop their potentials to the fullest. Adolescence encompasses different stages of physical, sex and mental development of an individual and is bewildered with varied stresses which result from distinct developmental changes in life (Burt, 2010).

Adolescents is a male or female that go through developmental transition from childhood to adulthood and it involves a number of biological, cognitive and socio emotional changes. Biological changes involve physical changes in the body, growth spurt, hormonal changes and sexual maturation that come with puberty. Cognitive changes involve individual thinking and intelligence that increases in abstract, idealistic and logical thinking. Socio emotional changes involve individual emotions, personality and relationship with others (Santrock, 2004). Adolescents equally have intellectual, social, physical, emotion, and moral characteristics. Briefly, these characteristics range from modeling behaviour, restlessness, mood swing to storm and stress. They are often characterized by their youthful exuberance and penchant for experimentation especially with sex (Moore, 1993).

1

Sex is an important terminology in biology and psychology and it is referred to as identity and activity. By identity, it is the anatomical structure of sexual organs associated with certain physiological operations that makes an individual to be identified as male or female. By activity, it involves caressing and sexual intercourse (Sandler, 1980).This is body chemistry and it is what they (adolescents) take as love. It is also involved the location of the adolescent where he/she is residing urban or rural area and those they interact with especially with sex.

Sex education is the education that is filled with worthwhile knowledge concerning sexual behaviours and values that enables adolescents to control their sexual need. It can also be defined as all forms of instructions that deals effectively with adolescent challenges and social relationships directly or indirectly associated with sex (Anyaegbunam, 2003). The author agreed with the report of United Nation (UN) General Assembly (2001) which stated that sex education is the education that develops the skill of young people in making informed choices about their behaviour and feels competent on acting on those choices. Sex education therefore is the knowledge, skill and attitude relating to sex and sexuality that enables adolescents deal with their sex challenges. It is also the educational measures that centers on sex which stand for protection, presentation, improvement and development of an individual (Burt, 2012).

Sex education for adolescents is the process of inculcating knowledge, attitude and skills required to cope with adolescent sex challenges. It involves knowledge, attitude and skill that help to promote and affect positive behaviour change in adolescent. The major aim of sex education is to promote proper development of personality and sexual well being. It also develops in adolescents the desired skill necessary to enhance interactive learning task so that communication, negotiation and listening skills can be developed and practiced (Mario, 2011). It is widely accepted that adolescents have a right to sex education because it is a means by which they are helped to protect themselves against exploitation, unintended pregnancy, STDs, HIV & AIDS. Adolescents faces challenges posed by body and emotional changes, relationships with the opposite sex and ignorance of the dangers inherent in their sexual act such as teenage pregnancy, abortion, Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs), Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs), Human Immune deficiency Virus (HIV), Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS).

Challenges are difficult task that test someone ability and skill and many adolescent sees challenges as a problem, some of the challenges includes adjusting to the altered appearances, functioning of the maturing body, learning to deal with sexual desires, confronting sexual attitudes and values, experimenting with sexual behaviours and integrating these feelings, attitudes and experiences into a developing sense of adulthood (Moore, 1993).

Skill is the ability coming from ones knowledge, practice, and aptitude to do something well. It is a potential acquired by individual through training which is meant to ensure proficiency and competency in the performance (Nnachi, 2008). Skill develops in an individual a positive social behaviour such as self discipline, good judgment and ability to get along with others and this skill can be gotten in large extent through sex education needs.

Need is a process for determining and addressing gaps between current conditions and desired condition or wants of an individual (Shafloot, 2011). It is also the discrepancy between the current conditions and wanted condition which must be measured to appropriately identify the problems of adolescents which could be a desire to improve current performance to correct a deficiency (Burke, 2005). Need is what one requires in order to meet a target standard                                                                                                                                                                                                        Chutta (1992). Olaitan, Nwachukwu, Igbo, Onyemauche and Ekong (1999) explained that need is a requirement deemed necessary for effectiveness. In the context of this study, Need is the sex education knowledge, attitudes and skills adolescent required for social and moral living. It is also necessary to include sex education to upper basic curriculum particularly to catch them young and also to appropriately guide them on their needs through teaching and learning (Nnachi, 2008).

It is therefore important to organize a formal instruction on sex to adolescents in junior secondary school that will guide and mentally prepare them for adulthood roles and equally prevent them from dangers of negative sexual behaviours (Barbara Hasting 2013). Organizing formal instruction involves identifying different areas of need while teaching the components of sex education as thus – sex roles, pre-marital sex and teenage pregnancy, social relationship, personal identity, emotional development, sex drive or sexual feelings in childhood adolescence sense, social aspects, conception, pregnancy and births, physical, emotional and psychological changes during puberty, gender roles, STD (Jateline, 2011) and proper ways of teaching sex education to adolescents which are discussion, lecture, role-play, counseling methods and other methods (MacAuthor, 2003)  in order to get them properly informed and it is necessary and beneficial for society as a whole to have an informed population about sex and sexuality, ignoring STIs, STDS, HIV/AIDS and teen pregnancy won’t make sex related challenges to go away, even if it’s taught from a biology perspective and not a morality perspective, it will still be beneficial. Adolescent are tricked into making bad decisions simply because of ignorance.

This work identified the sex related  challenges of adolescents as it relates to their; body changes, emotional challenges, challenges from their relationship with the opposite sex,  knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to cope with the  above named challenges and areas of sex education needs of adolescents in the junior secondary school of Anambra state. In schools of Anambra state, there are six educational zones which include Aguata, Awka, Nnewi, Ogidi, Onitsha, and Otuocha zones. But Onitsha harbours the highest market in West Africa called the Main Market, Awka is the state capital and Nnewi is also a big city which causes migrants from other zones, people from different part of the country and characters to fill the state. There are cases of sexual harassment, teenage pregnancy, domestic violence, sexual immorality like rape, homosexuals, hence the sex education needs of adolescents that aimed at reducing the risk of potential negative outcomes of adolescence sex practices.

Statement of the Problem

There is increased problem in Nigeria today as to moral laxity, promiscuity, unwanted pregnancy, abortion, Sexually Transmitted Infection(STI), forced marriage, school dropout among youths. The increase of these problem according to   Onah (1981) has been attributed to ignorance of youth about sex education. Sex education was designed to develop secondary school students abilities to cope with sex related challenges, peer pressures and make informed decision about sexuality. In spite of government efforts to include sex education in junior secondary schools, there are still problems arising from sex related issues of adolescents such as teenage pregnancy, STIs & STDs, abortion, HIV/AIDS, same sex relationships which is on the increase as well as luring adolescents into baby making machine which pervade as a result of adolescents activeness in sex.

Adolescents are ignorant of their physical body development challenges, care and management of their body changes, emotional changes, challenges of their relationship with the opposite sex, and challenges arising from their access to, and utilization of sexuality information (Brown, 2013). They depend on peer groups and the media to get information that may be wrong and deceitful about their sex development and practices, thus plunging them into the dangers of unwanted pregnancies and contact of STDs and HIV/AIDS, which maim their lifelong expectations, lead to ridicule and disgrace of the victims, and in some cases lead to their death as a result of non access to proper health care delivery systems (Mihalko, 2011).These affect the objectives of sex education, derail the components, and destroy the modalities and strategies needed to impart sex education in the schools.

Most parents are not interested in the developmental stages of their adolescents because they have no time for their wards and quest for money is on the increase. Adolescents are sexually active and need to explore the changes yet they are confused and thereby need a listening ear from their parents who have no time for them.

The teaching and learning of sex education in schools in Anambra state depend on the scanty unit course outlines provided in Basic sciences, Home Economics, Health and Physical Education disciplines, it means that the junior secondary school system in Nigeria has not much sex education in their curriculum (BECE Brochure, 2012–2015, Nnachi, 2008) hence the sex education needs of adolescents. This study on adolescence sex education needs was embarked upon to examine these and many more adolescents’ overall developmental and sexual problems and challenges and hence adduced some measures of ameliorating these encumbrances for a satisfactory sustainable lifelong living and effective adolescent contributions towards a better well behaved and sex-controlled society especially in Anambra state.

Purposes of the study           

The main purpose of the study was to evolve the sex education needs of adolescents in secondary school of Anambra state.  Specifically, the study determined;

1. the sex related challenges (body changes, emotional changes and relationships with the opposite sex) of adolescents in junior secondary school of Anambra state;
2. the sex education knowledge needed by adolescents to cope with the sex related challenges;
3. the sex education attitudes needed by adolescents to cope with their sex related challenges;
4. the skills required by adolescents to cope with their sex related challenges; and
5. different ways of teaching sex education to adolescents.

 

Significance of the study

Every society looks up to its youth (adolescents) as the future generation. They need to be properly prepared by informing and guiding them on the challenges they will encounter as young adult in order to achieve a better    tomorrow. Data so generated in this study will be of immense benefit to the curriculum planners, health workers, parents, teachers and adolescents in junior secondary schools as it will provide them with sex education knowledge, attitudes and skills on how best to care and manage themselves both physically, emotionally, socially and psychologically.

Parents will benefit from the findings of this study on the sex education challenges, they will be equipped with knowledge through the media, TV discussion series on the best way to train, guide, advise and manage adolescent under their care on the proper way to face sexual challenges of their life.

The study revealed the sex education knowledge needed by adolescents to cope with the sex related challenges. This will help teachers acquire sex education knowledge through thesis, books from library, magazine on how best to teach and guide the adolescent in schools.

The study also revealed the sex education attitude required by adolescents to cope with their sex related challenges. This may help curriculum planners to identify areas of need in adolescent sex education and be able to extend their intervention programmes to schools through the teachers.

The study revealed the sex education skills needed by adolescents to cope with their sex related challenges. This may help sex educators and health workers to know when to initiate intervention programs like seminars, workshops on health to teachers and students.

Policy makers will, through the facts in this study, make rules that will promote accurate modalities and strategies of teaching adolescents on how their sex education needs could be met as well as ways to curb sex related problems of adolescents generally assisting government and media houses in censoring all programmes to ensure they are adolescent friendly.

The findings of this study has revalidated the theoretical significance of the theories of social learning and need. Social learning theory is concerned with the modeling as an important component of the learning process. In this study adolescent sex education need is usually influenced and determined by the sexual behavior of people who they look up to as  role models.

The need of theory accurately describe many realities of personal experiences. It is believed that humans strive for an upper level of capabilities which means that human seek the frontiers of creativity, the highest reaches of consciousness & wisdom to cope with challenges of life. Again to be loved and accepted. We all need to feel we are wanted especially our adolescents. Therefore, the findings on sex education needs of adolescent in Anambra, has  further validated the significance of social learning and need theory on which this study was theoretically anchored .

 

Research Questions   

This study provided answers to the following research questions:

1. What are the sex related challenges (body changes, emotional changes and relationships with the opposite sex) of adolescents in junior secondary school in Anambra state?
2. What is the sex education knowledge needed by adolescents to cope with their sex related challenges?
3. What are the sex education attitudes required by adolescents to cope with their sex related challenges?
4. What are the sex education skills required by adolescents to cope with their sex related challenges?
5. What are the ways of teaching sex education needs to adolescents in upper basic schools of Anambra state?

 

Hypotheses

The following hypotheses were tested at 0.05 level of significance:

H0₁:     There is no significant difference in the mean responses of adolescents and teachers on the sex related challenges of adolescents in junior secondary schools in Anambra state.

H0₂: There is no significant difference in the mean response of teachers and adolescents on the sex education knowledge needed by adolescents to cope with their sex related challenges.

H0₃: There is no significant difference in the mean responses of parents and teachers on the sex education attitudes required by adolescents to cope with their sex related challenges.

H0₄: There is no significant difference in the mean responses of teachers and adolescents on the sex education skills required by adolescents to cope with their sex related challenges.

H0₅: There is no significant difference on the mean response of teachers and parents on different ways of teaching sex education to adolescents.

Scope of the study

The study focused on the sex related challenges of adolescents in junior secondary schools which include physical body changes, emotional changes, challenges on relationship with the opposite sex,  and then the knowledge, attitudes and skills required by adolescents to cope with their sex related challenges and ways of teaching sex education to adolescent. .

The study also covered the adolescents both male and female in junior secondary school in three out of six educational zones in Anambra state.

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