Socio-Demographic Factors Affecting Teaching of Sex Education among Junior Secondary Schools in Pakata Community, Kwara State, Nigeria

Abstract

Sexuality is a central aspect of being human throughout life and encompasses sex, gender identities and roles, sexual orientation, eroticism, pleasure, intimacy and reproduction. Sexuality is experienced and expressed in thoughts, fantasies, desires, beliefs, attitudes, values, behaviours, practices and relationships. The study investigated (i) religion (ii) culture (iii) economic status and (iv) age difference as socio demographic factors affecting the teaching of sex education among junior secondary school in Pakata Community, Kwara State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey method was used. The population consisted of teachers in all six schools Pakata Community, Kwara State. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 128 respondents for the study. The researcher's designed questionnaire which was validated by three experts from the Department of Health Promotion and Environmental Health Education, University of Ilorin. A correlation co-efficient 'r' of 0.76 was obtained through test re-test method using Pearson Product Moment Correlation on respondents outside the study sample. Data collection was conducted by the researchers and two trained research assistants. The two postulated null hypotheses were tested using the inferential statistics of chi-square @0.05 alpha level. The findings from the study revealed that: i. religion and economic status were perceived as socio-demographic factors affecting the teaching of sex education among Junior Secondary Schools with the calc. value of 46.219 >table value of 21.03 and the calc. X2 value of 97.469 >table X2 value of 21.03 respectively at the freedom df 12 @ 0.05 alpha level and ii. culture and Age differences were perceived as a socio-demographic factor affecting the teaching of sex education among Junior Secondary Schools with the calc. ? value of 76.953>table value of 21.03 and the calc. X2 value of 71.219 ? table X2 value of 21.03 respectively at the freedom df 12 @ 0.05 alpha level. Based on the findings, the researcher concluded that religion, culture, economic status and age differences were perceived as socio-demographic factors affecting the teaching of sex education among junior secondary schools in Pakata Community, Kwara State, Nigeria. It was recommended among others that government should incorporate sex education into the curriculum and create awareness on sex education for junior secondary school students and sensitize them based on religion affiliation, cultural practices, economic statuses and age differences.