Investigating sexuality education in South African schools: A matter of space, place and culture

A systematic review of comprehensive sexuality education for South African adolescents

“…This way of communicating with learners in the CSE class does not offer the opportunity to establish a teacher-learner relationship that is conducive for enquiry and it therefore does not meet the contemporary needs of adolescents. 30,39 This teaching method is adopted because of the fact that teachers are uncomfortable when they have to teach CSE. 30,31 Approaches to teaching: Sexuality education occurs in a discourse of danger, disease and damage; with the promotion of silence, abstinence and innocence.…”

“…Teachers tend to place emphasis on the negative consequences 22 of sexual behaviour with abstinence being favoured. 18,21,23,28,39 Silence around sexuality 17,19,20,38 is used because teachers believe that withholding information from adolescents is a way of protecting them against the dangers of sexuality. 22,32 These approaches often undermine the key points of a CSE curriculum in that a one-sided approach, as opposed to a comprehensive approach, is adhered to.…”

“…22,32 These approaches often undermine the key points of a CSE curriculum in that a one-sided approach, as opposed to a comprehensive approach, is adhered to. 21,23,25,28,39 What teachers perceive as good practices could actually be obstacles in the teaching of CSE. 18,22,23,25,30,37 Whilst some teachers do acknowledge the value of the broader issues of CSE such as relationships and safe sex, they still favour innocence and promote abstinence as the appropriate choice for young people 21,22,23,24 whereas others combine abstinence and safe sex teaching.…”

“…Of Regarding the studies' specific aims, most of the studies focussed on the LO teacher. 17,18,19,20,21,23,24,25,26,28,33,34,36,39 More specifically, studies were directed to understand: how LO teachers teach CSE 25 ; the challenges that LO CSE teachers generally face 26,33 ; the profile, characteristics and qualification(s) that a LO CSE teacher needs to possess 16,24,33 ; whether and how qualified, prepared and comfortable LO teachers are to teach CSE 25 ; how teachers' own life experiences (such as past trauma and how they themselves were sexually educated) impact on how they teach and deliver content 19,25 ; how teachers' cultures, social background, values and morals impact on how the subject is delivered and what is taught and promoted 20,21,23,25,28,39 ; teachers' understanding of learners' context and why they engage in risky sexual behaviour, 17 and to investigate the discrepancy between what teachers believe learners need from CSE and what learners actually need. 18 The remainder of the studies focussed on learners: how learners experience, understand and perceive LO CSE, 16 as well as their voices around what they learn in the LO CSE class and how it is perceived, which was performed to make recommendations for the improvement of the programme.…”

“…The teachers' unique context such as their culture, religious convictions, values and past events from their own lives has an impact on the way in which they interact with content, curriculum, pedagogy and learners. 19,20,25,28,30,39 Teachers are as a result not necessarily considerate of adolescents' needs or what is best for them, but teach according to their own context and what they deem as appropriate. 18,30 Some teachers' culture and values imply that sexuality should not be openly discussed with children and that it is meant for adults only.…”