Perception Of Female Students Towards Sex Education In Nigeria

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PERCEPTION OF FEMALE STUDENTS TOWARDS SEX EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

ABSTRACT

Adequate knowledge of adolescents about sexual issue will determine their behaviour concerning relationships, indadequate knowledge and misconception of sexuality has been responsible for their risky sexual behaviours. To this end, the researcher investigate on the perception of Female students on teaching of sex education in Secondary Schools in Kaduan State. To achieve this purpose ex-post facto research design was used. The instrument used for data collection was questionnaire using Likert rating scale. The questionnaire contained (6) sections. Section A contained six (6) statements on personal data of the respondents. Section B contains item related to the teaching of sex education in secondary schools. Section C contains 6 items on students religious and cultural belief in the teaching of sex education, Section D contains 6 statements on perception of students about the contribution of sex education in the enhancement of reproductive health knowledge and Section E contains the 6 items on inclusion of sex education to the secondary school curriculum. The questionnaire thus developed was administered to a total of (500) student from six Local Government Areas which was randomly selected from the three Senatorial Zones in Kaduna State. The data thus collected was statistically analyzed at Institute of Agricultural Research. t- test was used to determine the extent of teaching sex education in secondary schools in Kaduna State. Each hypothesis was tested at an Alpha level of 0.05. The result of the study revealed that sex education is not taught as a subject of its own in Kaduna State Secondary Schools. The study also showed that the male and female students want sex education to be included into the secondary schools curriculum.

Based on the findings in this study, the researcher recommended that sex education should be made compulsory from junior secondary school up to tertiary level of Nigerian educational system.

CHAPTER ONE

1.1                                                          INTRODUCTION

Sex education is the total expression of which we are as human beings; it encompasses our whole psychological development and our entire self-concept. It is also the process of acquiring information and forming attitudes and beliefs of sex, sexual identity, relationship and intimacy. It develops our reproductive health, interpersonal relationship, affections, body image and gender roles. (National Guidelines Task Force, 1996).

Adolescence is the process of gradual transition from childhood to adulthood in which the individual’s psychological and physiological process develop. The well being of the adolescent is of great importance (Adeyemo 2001) they need to be informed and guided toward developing positive attitudes on Sexuality. Unfortunately parents who ought to provide the primary sex education to their young ones and communicate to them specific value about sex play the least role as a source of accurate information on sexual matters. (Ogwu, 2001).

The schools, since is the only institution which reaches all children over a prolonged period of time has both a challenging opportunity and obligation to contribute their knowledge and understanding of the roles both sexes play, as well as to correct the distorted view of life receive from cultural beliefs and moral laws.

In almost every society, pre marital sexual relationship is a taboo, open discussion are suppressed. Consequently, adolescent has to struggle to ensure that his or her behaviour is not at variance with the norms, values and ideas of the society. (Adunola, 2005)

Since taboos are imposed on sexual matters by culture and religion, Secondary school students find it difficult to express their sexual affection to their parents. This creates some problems among adolescents as far as understanding sexual matters are concerned.

Adunola (2005) cited anthropological evidence which shows that individuals in societies which place enormous restraint on their desires to gratify their sexual drives are more susceptible to behavioural problems than those in permissive societies. One would therefore expect to find more deviant sexual problems in rural communities than in the urban centres. But the reverse seems to be the case.

Newton (1993) stated how the incidences of increased rape, prostitution, sexual promiscuity and homosexual practices in Nigeria society have reached alarming proportions.

Most adolescent engage in heterosexual activities which often result in pregnancy and sometimes abortion. Such abortion may lead to death. The unwanted pregnancy may lead to severe disturbances which can affect the adolescents concentration, coping abilities and interpersonal relationship.

Newton also maintained that  lack of sex education makes many adolescents engage in sexual relationship which do not only affect inter personal relationship but could result in some sexually transmitted Infections (STI) including Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). These disease conditions may make the adolescents vectors, or lead them to untimely death.

Adolescent sexual activities if not controlled could also lead to pregnancy among immature girls, hence resulting in Vesico Vaginal Fistilae (V.V.F) (Abdullahi, 2003).

Such victims may face expulsion from school which may terminate their school career and most of them may indulge in other social vices in the society such as drug abuse, drunkenness and theft which are part of the society ills today. Viewing these problems the adolescent is going through as a result of improper sex education. (Abdullahi, 2003)

Onyebuchi (1998) as cited by Njoku, (2003) stated that youths are likely to run into serious social and health hazards including teenage pregnancies, abortion, veneral diseases, disruption of education and social stigma. There seem to exist an obvious need for sex education for the youths in order to live sexual life which is of modest, restraints and relatively safe. (Njoku, 2003)

It is clear from this assertion that sex education in secondary schools is inevitable in order to avert the fear expressed in the above discussion. This study therefore attempts to investigate such needs particularly when Atahari

(2006) opined that it is a taboo to discuss sexual modifiers openly in the Islamic dominated areas of Nigeria.

1.2            STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Nigeria today is witnessing, an alarming rate of increase in problems associated with adolescent sexual development among these problems are sexual perversions like homosexuality lesbianism, rape, prostitution and sexual harassment. Incidences of unwanted pregnancies that call for induced abortion, high mortality rate among our girls, premature pregnancy resulting in Vesico Virginal Fistula (VVF) (Njoku, 2003).

Sex education is not properly handled in most of the secondary schools in Kaduna state in order to curb these perversion.

This study therefore investigate the perception of Female students on the teaching of sex education in secondary schools in Kaduna state.

1.3           RESEARCH QUESTIONS

With the aforementioned statement of the problem, the following questions will be explored and analyzed.

  1. Do secondary schools in Kaduna State teach sex education?
  2. To what extent does religion and cultural belief accept the teaching of sex education in secondary schools in Kaduna state?
  3. What is the role of sex education in adolescent sexual issues
  4. Should sex education be included in secondary school curriculum in

Kaduna state?

1.4           PURPOSE OF THE STUDY

The main purposes of this study are:

  1. To find out from female students if sex education is taught in theirs schools.
  2. To find out from the female students the extent to which religion and cultural belief accept the teaching of sex education.
  3. To find out from the student about the role of sex education in adolescent sexual issues
  4. To find out from students if sex education should be included in the secondary school curriculum in kaduna state.

1.5            SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Adolescents are everywhere in our society, they need to be observed, studied, educated and guided to become responsible adults. They are the nations richest resources but moral laxity in our society today among adolescents may inhibit the society from tapping from this resources, therefore it is necessary to teach sex education in secondary schools because:

  1. The knowledge of sex education will minimize the problems and improve interpersonal relationship between sexes.
  2. It would improve state of womanhood, manhood and family life and would reduce the area of sexual impropriety.
  • The student’s option about sex education will inform the curriculums designers to design a curriculum that can be viewed as appropriate by the beneficiaries.
  1. The study is to a certain extent widen the teachers horizon in handling the problem associated with adolescent sexual problems and will also help teenagers know more about the physical changes and

development that occurs during this period.

  1. It will also encourage those who are already victims of teenage

pregnancy not to give up their hope in life.

1.6         HYPOTHESIS

On the basis of the research questions, the following hypothesis were formulated:

1            HYPOTHESIS

There is no significant difference between the perception of male and female students about the teaching of sex education in secondary schools in Kaduna state.

2 There is no significant difference in the perception of student from different religious background about the teaching of sex education in secondary schools in Kaduna State.

  1. There is no significant difference between Male and Female students

opinion about the role of sex education in adolescent sexual issues

  1. There is no significant difference between Male and Female students in their opinion towards the inclusion of sex education in secondary school curriculum in Kaduna State.

1.7            DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY

This study is concerned with the perception of female students about the teaching of sex education in secondary schools in Kaduna State. The study was delimited to the Senior Secondary Schools in Kaduna State. Student at this level was used so that problems of sexuality among adolescents can be minimized.

1.8         LIMITATIONS

Issues of sex are considered confidential by most people, so many were not ready to discuss such issues in the public, some sees the discussion pertaining to sex as immoral. Thus they could not have expressed their true feelings about the variable of investigation. To reduce this effect, the researcher explained to the respondents what the study is all about and solicits for their honest opinion and assured them that their responses would be treated as confidential.

PERCEPTION OF FEMALE STUDENTS TOWARDS SEX EDUCATION IN NIGERIA

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