Teachers And Students Attitudes Towards Teaching Of Sex Education In Secondary Schools

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

Sex education, which is sometimes called sexuality education or sex and relationship education is a process of acquiring information and forming attitude and belief about sex, sexual identity relationships and intimacy.

Ross David A (2008) stated that sex education seeks both to reduce the risk of potentially negative outcome from sexual behavior, like unintended pregnancies and sexual transmitted diseases. He also noted that its aim is to enhance the quality of relationships which includes developing young peoples mind and abilities to make decisions over their life time.

It is also about developing young people skills so that they 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 partly because it is a means by which they are helped to protect themselves against abuse, exploration, unintended pregnancies, sexual transmitted diseases and HIV/AIDS.

Nwachukwu Egbunike Guardian Newspaper May (2004) a medical laboratory scientist  in  Ibadan, focused on reducing risk behaviors among adolescents. He noted that facts are never mentioned by the advocate of contraception that is hell bent on its uses as the safest way of preventing HIV/AIDS. Some school of thought believed that children should be allowed to find  out things for themselves on matters relating to sex education, while others believed that the subject should be taught in schools so as to guide Nigerian youth in their sex problems and relationships with the opposite sex.

Yinka Osasona Sun news March (2009) suggested that the knowledge of sex education could  go along way to help the youth avoid much harm to their bodies and also avoid the dreaded diseases. In the olden days, youths were normally kept in dark on matters concerning sex until Shine S A (2004) noted that it has been agreed by almost all education authorities (worldwide), that school children must acquire proper knowledge for changes that take place in their bodies and mind as they grow into adulthood. They need to be guided to the kind of conduct the society expects from them with respect to the sexual aspect of their lives, he stressed that the purpose  of it is to provide both children and youths with scientific concept of the subject matter and to develop positive and critical attitude towards the practice and satisfaction of sexual feelings and derives.

Sex education has got varied meaning with different authors, Dick and Ross A (2006) explained that sex education involves teaching and learning to recognize and accept human sexuality in oneself and others with the hope of using the knowledge towards the greatest creativity and fulfillment in peoples lives. Ross David (2008) clarifies the confusion about the meaning of sex education, he wrote that sex education is to be distinguished from sex information and can be described as character education, he stated that it consist of instruction to develop understanding of physical, mental, emotional, social, economic and psychological phase of human relation as they are affected by male and female relationship.

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 realize 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 part of the world do not encourage premarital relationship and are treated as taboo especially among secondary school students, majority of whom are at their adolescent stage of development, they are challenged with all sorts of sexual influences from the society.

Johnson (2008) stated that student learn much about sex from the perception of their parents, family members and other member of the society. This also is learned from the answers given to the children’s question at home, although not all parent are competent to give such desired answers hence such children are left with much uncertainty and embarrassment about sex. He noted that this could lead to worry and shock that may prejudice feelings about sex even with adult life.

Ross David. A. (2008) opined that it is necessary for educational administrators to draw an effective program of study which would provide these adolescents with the correct  and  adequate information towards sex. In addition, the social changes taking place particularly in standard of family life, sexual conduct and attitude towards marriage are affecting almost all societies; therefore it is necessary to educate young people/students on sex issues so that they will base their future life on sound and ethical principles. In view of this fact, it is pertinent to look into the attitude of teachers and student towards the teaching of sex education in Enugu education zone of Enugu state, in order to see whether sex education is given its due attention.