Knowledge of Sex Education Among Adolescent in Selected Senior Secondary School in Irrua, Edo State

Knowledge of Sex Education Among Adolescent in Selected Senior Secondary School in Irrua, Edo State

CHAPTER ONE

Objective of the study

The main objective of the study was to assess the Knowledge of adolescents towards sex education in Edo State.

Specific objectives of the Study were to:

determine the level of adolescents‟ sex education inEdo
examine the extent to which sex education has helped inthe prevention of adolescents from unwanted pregnancy, community dropout, moral behaviour and abortion amongst adolescents in Edo
ascertain the impact of sex education on the adolescents‟ opinion and peer groupinfluence and their moral behaviour in Irrua Local Government Area.
determine the impact of sex education on the prevention ofSexually Transmitted Diseases (STD‟s) among adolescents in Edo

CHAPTER TWO

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

Conceptual Framewor

Concept of Sex Education

Sexuality education came into being in different countries at various times. It is an ongoing lifetime process of acquiring information about culture beliefs, values and perception of our bodies, emotions, attitude, gender identities and sexual orientation. (Nzeribe, 2002) Sex education is a broad term used to describe education about human sexual anatomy, sexual reproduction, sexual intercourse, reproductive health, emotional relations, reproductive rights and responsibilities, abstinence, contraception and other aspects of human sexual behaviour. Common avenues for sex education are parents or caregivers, community programs, and public health campaigns (The Guardian, 11 May, 2004).

Yahaya (2003) postulated that sexuality education program deals with biological, moral, emotional, social issues, and the challenges that the young, youth and unmarried individual face about sex. Sex education is a planned process of education that foster the acquisition of factual information, the information of positive attitude, beliefs, and values as well as biological, psychological, socio cultural and spiritual aspects of human sexuality (Action Health, 2003).

Action health also stated the main goals of sexuality education as the promotion of sexual health or providing individual with the opportunities to:

Developpositive and factual view of sexuality
Acquirethe information and skill they need to take care of their sexual health diseases and HIV/Aids
Respectand values themselves and others
Acquirethe skills needed to make healthy decision about their health and

Raul and Melgosa (2002) said that sex education will enlighten our youth and prevent them from developing a sense of guilt, horror, disgusting fear of sex especially when they perform sex act at the right time and with the right partner. It will enable our youth to have self respect and self control with due consideration for the spouses.

CHAPTER THREE

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

Research Design

Descriptive survey design was used in this study to investigate the Impact of Sex education on moral behaviour of Adolescents in Edo State. According to Mugenda and Mugenda (2003) survey research design seeks to obtain information that discloses existing phenomenon by asking individuals adolescents about their perception, attitude, and behaviour or beliefs. The research is qualitative, in that the knowledge and viewpoints of the adolescents were put into investigation; to examine the impact of sex education, in terms of community enrollment, retention and completion, prevention of teenage pregnancies and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases.

Population of the Study

The target population of the study was 20,385 drawn from the 8 Local Government Areas, mainly from all the adolescents in Irrua L.G.A.

Summary

The study started with an introduction, statement of the research problem and the main objective was to find the relationship between impact of sex education on adolescents, variables of education of adolescents on sex education, extent to which sex education helps in prevention of adolescents from unwanted pregnancy, drop out and abortion, peer group influence in communities and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases (STD). Four research questions were stated as well as four research hypotheses to be tested. Literatures were reviewed under the subheadings like: the concept of sex education, content of sex education, concept of moral behaviour, education of sex education, importance of teaching sex education, impact of integrated teaching and skills of sex education and empirical studies were extensively.

The descriptive survey design was used in the study. A structured questionnaire was used as a tool for gathering the data from the respondents. The sampling technique adopted was the random sampling technique to select 2039 respondents from the adolescents in Edo state. In addition the reliability as well as pilot study was discussed. The results revealed that:

adolescentsin communities were aware of sex education through enlightenment of the introduction of sex education.
adolescents, especially female adolescentswere now very conscious of themselves in sexual matters thus preventing a lot of immoralities, such as unwanted pregnancies,
cultural values and parental influences had an overpowering impact on adolescents over peergroup
adolescents‟ education of sex education had drastically reduced the prevalence of sexuallytransmitted diseases among secondary adolescents in Edo State.

Conclusion

Based on the outcome of the study, the following conclusion can be deduced.

Adolescents, especially female adolescents were now very conscious of themselves in sexual matters through sex education in Irrua Local Government Area.

There was a drastic drop in unwanted pregnancies, community dropout and abortion amongst adolescents in Edo due to the integration of sex education in the community curriculum in Irrua Local Government Area. The introduction of sex education had drastically reduced the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases.

Peer group influence and some aspects of the culture of the Edo State people had a greater influence on the adolescents‟ behaviour. The importance of foreign culture was overwhelming on the adolescents who engage in pre-marital se, taking of drugs which were against the cultural norms of the society.

Sex education influences the moral behaviour of senior adolescents in Edo State as it enables them to determine what is right from what is wrong, thus reducing immoral behaviours to the bearest minimum amongst them.

Recommendations.

The following recommendations were made for the improvement of sex education in the Irrua Local Government Area in particular, and in Nigeria in general.

Sinceadolescents in communities were aware of sex education through enlightenment of the introduction of sex education, the subject should be intensified and emphasized by the various secondary community
Theintroduction of sex education should be made compulsory by education policy makers at all levels of the education system since it has made adolescents in communities aware of sex education especially female adolescents who are now very conscious of themselves in sexual matters thus preventing a lot of immoralities.
Parents should as a matter of urgency teach their children and wards the culturalvalues, most especially when it comes to sexuality matters since they have over- bearing and overpowering influences on adolescents over peer group
Parents should as a matter of fact be incorporated in the sex education in communities where they could be called upon from time to time togive talks on sexuality matters to adolescents.
Secondary community teachers should encourage the Sex educationsince its education would drastically reduced the prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases among secondary adolescents in Edo
Parents should be incorporated into sex education. This couldbe done through giving talks to adolescents from time to time either during normal classes, seminar and symposia.
New strategies and comprehensive curriculum on sex education should be producedby the State as well as the Federal Ministry of Education.

REFERENCES

Action Health Incorporated (2003) Comprehensive Sexuality Education. Yaba, Lagos; Nigeria.
Adewale, R.D. (1976). Perception of parents on sex education in selected public communities in orlu zone of Imo state. In uzoma G.E and Ogbonna A. A. (2007). A research project submitted to community of education A.I.C.E Owerri, p. 3.
Advocates for Youth, Americans support sexuality education including information on abstinence and contraception, (1999), accessed Dec. 18, 2002; and SIECUS, Public support for sexuality education reaches highest level, 1999, accessed Dec. 18, 2002.
Akinboye, J. O. (1977). Adolescent personal data inventory APD1, Ibadan: Maritime Printers’ Psychological Publications.
Akinkpelu, J. A. (1981). An introduction to philosophy of education. London: MacMillan press Ltd., p. 4.
Ball, & Gall, M. (1996) Educational Research: An Introduction. Sixth Edition: USA, Longman Publishers.
Bearman, P., & Bruckner, H. (2004). The relationship between virginity pledges in adolescence and STD acquisition in young adulthood: After the promise: The long-term consequences of adolescent virginity pledges. Paper presented on March 19, 2004 at the National STD Conference: Philadelphia, PA.
Bello, R., & Ajayi, O. (2000). Research Methods and Statistical Analysis. Ilorin, Nigeria: Haylee Press and Publishing Company Ltd.
Briggs, N. D. (1991). Adolescent sexuality and its problems in an African Society.
Nigeria FIGO concept paper. Adolescent Genealogy. 23: 235-239.
Brigman, G. & Campbell, C. (2003). “Helping adolescents improve academic achievement and community success behaviour,” Professional Community Counselling, 7(2): 91-98), American Community Counsellor Association.

Summary

Other Topics