ABSTRACT
This project is aimed at finding out the importance and prospects
of teaching sex education in junior secondary school in Egor Local
Government Area of Edo State. The concept of sex education, the
importance who to handle the course and the enviable qualities that are
expected to be possessed by the teachers who are to teach the course in
schools and the effect who are to teach the course in schools is not
introduced into the curriculum where highlighted in chapter one and two.
The main research instrument for data collection was questionnaire,
which was administered to students in the selected secondary schools.
Five research questions were formulated to focus the researcher’s
attention on certain issues, based on the analysis of the data
collected; it revealed that the awareness of sex education will make
students to be responsible to their family and the society. That it
should also be taught to boys and girls, it also teaches that sex
education helps to reduce the rate of fatherless babies and which the
society will greatly benefit from. It was also discovered that sex
education will not cause poor academic performance among students
instead; it has positive effect on the moral behaviour of the student.
The researcher finally discovered that sex education is highly needed in
junior secondary schools. After a thorough research, findings on this
topic, the researcher concluded that parents, teachers and the
government should work hand in hand to help the school students of this
situation.
TABLE OF CONTENT
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
Background of the study
Statement of problem
Purpose of the study
Significance of the study
Research questions
Scope/delimitation of the study
Limitation of the study
Definition of terms
CHAPTER TWO
Literature review
CHAPTER THREE
Methodology
Research design
Population
Sample method
Research instrument
Validity of the instrument
Administration of instrument
Data analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
Result and interpretation
Discussion of the findings
CHAPTER FIVE
Summary
Conclusion
Recommendations
REFERENCES
QUESTIONNAIRE
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
An important but most undermined phenomenon that has
ploughed the society for many years is sex education. This phenomenon is
so complicated that people have different view about it. These
differences bring tolerance in security among some while it creates
problems in some other ethnic groups where discussion of sex is taboo.
Sex education is one of the major determinants of future
stability in families of any nation. It is a comprehensive and
systematic development programme extending from infancy to maturity. It
is planned and directed to produce social and moral desirable sexual
attitudes, practices and behaviour; Calder wood and Sloan (1982).
Sex problem have had a very devastating effect on the
individual in our society. Some people have wrong idea about sex
education. This is not surprising considering the fact that many old
people have their respective point of view about life.
In a society where boys and girls admitted into the same
school creates problem of physical problem and emotional involvement,
which eventually results in arousing sexuality. This anxiety created in
them; make them jump into this game of uncontrollable emotion.
In this chapter, the researcher intends to have an overview
of terminologies associated with sex before dealing with the scope of
this study. Sex e3ducation is the instruction about sex and human
sexuality which children are supposed to receive but many parents do not
instruct their children about sex at all.
With the greater freedom of discussion of sex in our
society and the early maturity of children today. One would consider the
introduction of sex education to our teenagers too early, the
introduction of proper sex education to our youth or teenagers reduce
many of the society problems that are facing us.
Correct and relevant information should be given to
teenagers about the changes and development they observe in their bodies
during the period of maturity. The girls develop breast and pelvic bone
broaden etc. these start about the age of twelve years (12) while the
boys sexual organs matures, their chest widens and their larynx
enlarges. This period in teenagers is very crucial in the life of an
individual and many frustrations may occur during this stage such as
school dropout, sexual immorality, juveniles delinquencies to mention a
few.
Gone are those days when sexual matter was hidden from
children. They are expected to be given information about sex so as to
break through the desire in them so that they will not go astray.
Sex desire can lead to sexual immorality which can result
to unwanted pregnancy. Most unmarried teenagers who have babies are
carried away by sexual feelings and emotional desire. This can lead to
abortion, sexually transmitted disease and so no.
Religious groups and a taboo to the generality of the
society consider sexual intercourse between two persons who are not
married wrong. It can result to unwanted child, psychological problem
for person involved.
The need for the teaching of sex education in junior
secondary school in Egor local government Area cannot be overemphasized.
This is because of the influx of people from different ethnic groups
into the locality. Egor local government area has not only increased in
population and also in size. The need to actualize these sexual feelings
becomes the evident when students are among themselves. But the
forceful preventive warning of the parents only saves them temporary
check on sexual tendencies amongst these youth. With the children sent
to secondary schools and no true knowledge of sex education, a lot of
problem easily comes into play as the students jump this game of
uncontrolled emotional. As a place for the dissemination of knowledge,
secondary school become the local point for introduction of sex
education, since present generation involves itself in promiscuity and
corruption, there is the need for them to be taught what sexual
relationship is with this, a lot of changes will occur in the life’s of
the students, parents and the community at large.
According to Calder-Wood and Sloan (1982) the World War II
marked the liberation of many attitudes about sex as well as the
beginning of change in behaviour, leading individuals all over the world
to advocate for children. The child study association of American in
the 1920s led the way towards an open approach to all topics including
sex education. Through more emphasis was placed on reproductive
education since then, the concept has enlarged.
Today sex education encompassed a wide range of biological,
sociological knowledge. Today there is the awareness of the need for
sex education in schools, churches and other institution of the growing
concern over teenage pregnancy, Abortion, Venereal diseases, increased
promiscuity, wide spread marital and sexual difficulties.
Calder-Wood and Sloan (1982) both agree that traditionally,
parent were chiefly responsible for the sex education of their
children. Community agencies and religions bodies later joined the team
but these groups of people were inadequate. Finally sex education became
integrated in schools since they could reach the largest segment of the
population as well as teaching sex education more objective teachers
are being trained in the higher institution of learning all o0ver the
world in order to teach sex education
Moreover, the knowledge of sex education will reduce threat of
causality which would have resulted from illegal procurement of abortion
by quack doctors, presently, sex education programme have been
integrated into several secondary schools; education programme.
Therefore sex education should be given to children at any
developmental stage because the foundation laid in the early life of the
children will determine then stability and quality of their married
life.
Sex education should be given to the teenagers through their parents,
teachers, counselors and educators. It should also be introduced into
secondary schools for teenagers of both sexes with this introduction
alone, a lot of changes will occur in the life of the students, parents
and the community at large.
STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
This study intends to emphasize the need for the introduction of sex
education into secondary school and also to investigate, if sex
education has positive or negative effect on students. Ignorance of sex
and its problem is prevalent among secondary school students. The lives
of students are shattered. With the passing of incorrect information
among themselves, they get misled by others. Young people regard sex
education as a fun rather than what it really is. They see it as a
persona and private affair of the participants which is not really about
sex education.
The problem resulting from the lack of sex education to our
youths is numerous. They are unwanted pregnancies increase in abortion,
high incoherence of sexual transmitted disease and high rate of
sexually promiscuity. All these have led to inability to concentrate,
poor school performance, rate of school dropout, increase in illiteracy
and over population, consequently, the educational opportunity of
Nigerian youth is greatly affected and these posses a great lost on the
society. To behavioural scientist, the introduction of sex education is
proper, despite the increasing sexual problems is parents and schools
are still not providing teenagers with proper knowledge of sex
education.
Many administrations have been greatly worried about the
appropriate level at which sex education can be introduced. Who should
teach sex education, what to teach and who to teach? It should however,
be realized that sex education, if properly given does not arouse morbid
curiosity but exactly the opposite to young people. The misinformation
secrete, misinterpretation and fables about sex functions lead to
dangerous consequences, therefore, information about sex education
teaches and give an insight understandi8ng of sex functions.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
The purpose of this study is to know the relevance of sex
education as a course in the school curriculum. The study also aim at
finding out how sexual problem influence students. It would also educate
the student to know that sexual relationship is an implication of sex
promiscuity.
The purpose for this study knows the positive and negative
effect it has on students. It is also aimed at knowing the benefit it
has on students and the society at large. It is also to seek and find
out the various ways in which the teaching of sex education can be
taught who to teach it and the goals to be achieved from teaching sex
education.
This study will add to knowledge especially when the study
is based on sex education. With the highlighting of this study, it opens
the eyes of the educational administrators and the curriculum planners
to know the importance of sex education as a course to be introduced
with the curriculum so as to enlighten the teenagers and the society at
large.
The outcome of this research programme will enable the
readers to identify the need for teaching sex education in junior
secondary schools it is hoped that through the findings, the various
misconceptions on the issue of female sex education will be corrected.
There can be nothing more damaging to effective sex rejection than
shame, embarrassment, untruthfulness, no timidity about sex etc.
Solving the issue of sex education teaching in junior
secondary school in Egor local government area will go a long way in
improving on the health of every individual or students school
performances, population growth and therefore improve the standard of
living in the society.
The research questions that are required for the purpose of this study include the following:
1) Is sex education relevant as a course to be taught in education?
2) Are there trained personnel to handle the course?
3) Of what benefits is sex education to the pupils, students and the society at large?
4) What effect will the introduction of this course have on the moral behaviour of the students?
5) Will the introduction of this course make student become juvenile and dropout from schools?
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
It is conceived that at the completion of the study its findings would be beneficial to:
i) The students of various secondary school who are the primary beneficiary of this education
ii) The parent whose child will have a better knowledge about sex education
iii) The society in which the rate of unwanted pregnancy among teenagers will be greatly reduced
iv) Researcher and academia and school management as the
study will help them improve their curriculum on sex education
SCOPE/DELIMITATION
A study like this embraces all areas but the researcher cannot cover
all the scope therefore, the researcher selected three (3) secondary
schools in Egor local government area of Edo State and a sample of
teachers in the selected schools and parents. Sex education is a very
broad topic. It is necessary for everybody not just student or
adolescents, however. This is limited to the teaching of sex education
in junior secondary school curriculum.
LIMITATION OF STUDY
This study was faced by a number of problems, which
restricted the researcher from carrying out the study thoroughly such as
time factor, transportation to and fro to reach her supervisor and
combination of domestic works.
DEFINITION OF TERMS
SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED DISEASE: Disease contacted through sexual intercourse e.g. HIV, AIDS
SEX: A fundamental driving force in relationship between the
biological needs to produce curture, influence, love, affection etc. in
human life.
SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP: These also has something to do with having canal knowledge of both sex or each other
SEX ORGANS: Structure responsible for reproduction e.g. penis in male and vaginal is female.
EDUCATION: This is the act of acquiring knowledge, skills, attitude
that intends to produce a positive result. It is a process of changing
the behaviour of a person.
PROMISCUITY: In discriminate sexual relationship that occur outside marriage life.
TEENAGERS: This is the stage of development in human being between 10-17 years.
SEX EDUCATION: This comprises of the knowledge of male and female
anatomy or part of the body the basic process of human reproduction and
development sexual intercourse, consequences and responsibility,
contraceptives or pregnancy, prevention and where or how to get
counseling.
ABORTION: Process of terminating pregnancy.
PELVIC: Hip bones
TEACHING: This is the act of impacting knowledge, skill, attitude, morals in order to be useful in the society.