Students’ satisfaction and knowledge gaps in sexuality education in Ibadan, Nigeria

Chinegbonkpa H. Nwakanma

Abstract

Despite commitments, challenges persist in ensuring that sexuality education meets the needs of students. This study investigates secondary school students' satisfaction levels regarding sexuality education in Nigeria. A quantitative approach was employed, utilizing a stratified random sampling technique to recruit 1,136 participants from both public and private secondary schools. Participants completed a semi-structured questionnaire. Logistic regression was employed. The findings reveal that topics such as puberty, reproductive health, consent, and sexual diversity are desired by students. Significant associations were observed between satisfaction levels and socio-demographic factors. Notably, female students exhibited lower odds of satisfaction compared to males (OR = 0.673, 95% CI: 0.495-0.913), and older students aged 15 years and above had lower odds of satisfaction compared to younger students under 15 years (OR = 0.346, 95% CI: 0.100-1.812). This study recommends the development and implementation of comprehensive, evidence-based sexuality education curricula in secondary schools, prioritizing inclusivity, cultural sensitivity, and age-appropriateness while addressing topics such as puberty, reproductive health, consent, and sexual diversity

Full Text:

PDF

References

UNESCO. International technical guidance on sexuality

education : an evidence-informed approach.

[Internet]. Paris: UNESCO; 2018 [cited 2024 Apr 18].

Available

https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default

source/reproductive-health/sexual

health/international-technical-guidance-on-sexuality

education.pdf?sfvrsn=10113efc_29&download=true

Mbarushimana V, Goldstein S and Conco DN. “Not just the

consequences, but also the pleasurable sex”: a review

of the content of comprehensive sexuality education

for early adolescents in Rwanda. BMC Public Health.

Jan 7;23(1):49.

UNESCO. The journey towards comprehensive sexuality

education: Global status report [Internet]. United

Nations

Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization. Paris; 2021 [cited 2024 Apr 21].

Available

from:

http://www.unesco.org/open

access/terms-use-ccbysa-en

World Health Organization. Comprehensive sexuality

education [Internet]. WHO. 2023 [cited 2024 Apr 21].

Available

from:

https://www.who.int/news

room/questions-and-answers/item/comprehensive

sexuality-education

UNFPA. UNFPA Operational Guidance for Comprehensive

Sexuality Education: A Focus on Human Rights and

Gender [Internet]. New York; 2014 [cited 2024 Apr

. Available from: www.unfpa.org

Melendez-Torres GJ, Ponsford R, Meiksin R, Tilouche N,

Sundaram N, Sturgess J, Allen E, Lohan M, Young H,

Hadley A and Campbell R. Student-reported

relationships and sex education coverage and

knowledge among a diverse population of early

adolescents: a cross-sectional survey of students in

England. Sex Education. 2024 Jul 3;24(4):497-514.

Baumann SE, Leeson L, Raonivololona M and Burke JG.

Exploring the multi-level impacts of a youth-led

comprehensive sexuality education model in

Madagascar using Human-centered Design methods.

Amnie AG, editor. PLoS One [Internet]. 2024 Apr

;19(4):e0297106.

Available

from:

https://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0297106

Koiwa Y, Shishido E and Horiuchi S. Factors Influencing

Abortion Decision-Making of Adolescents and Young

Women: A Narrative Scoping Review. Int J Environ

Res Public Health. 2024 Mar 1;21(3):288-94.

Starrs AM, Ezeh AC, Barker G, Basu A, Bertrand JT, Blum

R, Coll-Seck AM, Grover A, Laski L, Roa M and

Sathar

ZA. Accelerate progress—sexual and

reproductive health and rights for all: report of the

Guttmacher–Lancet Commission. The lancet. 2018

Jun 30;391(10140):2642-92.

Jones S, Milnes K and Turner-Moore T. ‘Doing things you

don’t wanna do’: young people's understandings of

power inequalities and the implications for sexual

consent. Journal of Youth Studies. 2024 Apr

;27(4):503-23.

Ekpenyong A and Michael TO. Social Media and Sexual

Reproductive Health Behaviour Among Adolescents

In Bayelsa State, Nigeria. American International

Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Social

Sciences

AIJRHASS [Internet]. 2016;94–98.

Available from: http://www.iasir.net

Chavula MP, Zulu JM and Hurtig AK. Factors influencing

the integration of comprehensive sexuality education

into educational systems in low- and middle-income

countries: a systematic review. Reprod Health. 2022

Dec 1;19(1):18-26.

Adekola AP and Mavhandu-Mudzusi AH. Addressing

Learner-Centred Barriers to Sexuality Education in

Rural Areas of South Africa: Learners’ Perspectives

on Promoting Sexual Health Outcomes. Sexuality

Research and Social Policy. 2023 Mar 1;20(1):1–17.

Ahn J and Yang Y. Relationship Between Self-Esteem and

Risky Sexual Behavior among Adolescents and

Young Adults: A Systematic Review. Am J Sex Educ.

;18(3):484–503.

Bakhtiari A, Pasha H, Kashefi F, Nasiri-Amiri F and

Bakouei F. Factors affecting students’ attitudes

towards reproductive health in the north of Iran:

Designing an educational program. BMC Public

Health. 2023 Dec 1;23(1).

Kanwar P. Role of Pubertal Timing and Perceived Parental

Attachment in Internalizing Problem Behaviours

Among Adolescents. Psychol Rep. 2024 Jan

:00332941241226684.

African Union. Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights:

Continental Policy Framework [Internet]. Addis

Ababa; 2006 Jul [cited 2024 Apr 21]. Available from:

https://au.int/sites/default/files/documents/30921

doc-srhr_english_0.pdf

World Health Organization. Nigeria renews commitments

to improve adolescent health towards achieving UHC

[Internet]. WHO | Regional Office for Africa. 2022

[cited

Dec 11]. Available from:

https://www.afro.who.int/countries/nigeria/news/nige

ria-renews-commitments-improve-adolescent-health

towards-achieving-uhc

World Health Organization. Adolescent Health in Nigeria

[Internet]. 2018 May [cited 2024 Dec 11]. Available

from:

https://www.afro.who.int/sites/default/files/2019

/6%20Nigeria%20AH18052018.pdf?utm_

National Population Commission (NPC) [Nigeria], ICF.

Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey 2018

[Internet]. Abuja, Nigeria; 2019 [cited 2022 Aug 25].

Available

from:

http://nationalpopulation.gov.ng/ndhs-2018-key

finding/

Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of Nigeria

(FMoHSW) NPC (NPC) [Nigeria], and I. Nigeria

Demographic and Health Survey 2023-24 Key

Indicators Report [Internet]. Abuja, Nigeria and

Rockville, Maryland, USA; 2024 [cited 2024 Dec 11].

Available

from:

https://dhsprogram.com/pubs/pdf/PR157/PR157.pdf

UNESCO. Nigeria: Comprehensive Sexuality Education |

Education Profiles [Internet]. UNESCO. 2023 [cited

Feb 7]. Available from: https://education

profiles.org/sub-saharan

africa/nigeria/~comprehensive-sexuality-education

Shiffman J, Kunnuji M and Shawar YR, Robinson RS.

International norms and the politics of sexuality

education in Nigeria. Global Health. 2018 Jul 3;14(1).

Emenike NW, Onukwugha FI, Sarki AM and Smith L.

Adolescents’

in

sexual

and reproductive health

education: perspectives from secondary school

teachers

Northern

;23(1):66–80.

Nigeria.

Sex Educ.

Adetokunbo S, Elegbede OE, Durowade KA, Ojo O,

Ibirongbe DO, Solomon OO, Marcus O, Balogun BO,

Babalola SA, Ibikunle AI and Adeosun MO. Parental

Knowledge and Attitude of Adolescent Sexuality

Education in Rural and Urban Communities of Ekiti

State, Nigeria. African Journal of Health Sciences.

Jun 20;35(2):158-68.

Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council.

National Family Life and HIV Education Curriculum

for Junior Secondary School In Nigeria [Internet].

Abuja; 2003 Mar [cited 2024 Apr 21]. Available from:

https://www.actionhealthinc.org/publications/docs/jn

rcurriculum.pdf

Kunnuji MO, Robinson RS, Shawar YR and Shiffman J.

Variable Implementation of Sexuality Education in

Three Nigerian States. Stud Fam Plann [Internet].

;48(4):359–76.

Available

from:

https://www.jstor.org/stable/26384487

Adewole I and Gavira A. Sexual and reproductive health

and rights for all: an urgent need to change the

narrative. The Lancet. 2018 Jun 30;391(10140):2585

Aguilar A, Vatopoulou A, Di Nunzio C, Panova DI, Rome

E, Simms-Cendan J, Drejza M and Jayasinghe Y.

FIGIJ

Advocacy Statement in Support of

Comprehensive Sexuality Education. Journal of

Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. 2024 Feb

;37(1):5-6.

National Bureau of Statistics. Demographic Statistics

Bulletin [Internet]. Abuja; 2020 [cited 2024 Jan 2].

Available

from:

file:///C:/Users/Admi/Downloads/DEMOGRAPHIC

%20BULLETIN%202020%20(1).pdf

Vandenbroucke JP, von Elm E, Altman DG, Gøtzsche PC,

Mulrow CD, Pocock SJ, Poole C, Schlesselman JJ and

Egger

M. Strengthening the Reporting of

Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE):

explanation and elaboration. Int J Surg [Internet].

Dec 1 [cited 2023 Jan 21];12(12):1500–24.

Available

from:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25046751/

O’Brien BC, Harris IB, Beckman TJ, Reed DA and Cook

DA. Standards for reporting qualitative research: A

synthesis of recommendations. Academic Medicine.

;89(9):1245–51.

Padrutt ER, Harper J, Schaefer JD, Nelson KM, McGue M,

Iacono WG and Wilson S. Pubertal timing and

adolescent outcomes: investigating explanations for

associations with a genetically informed design. J

Child Psychol Psychiatry [Internet]. 2023 Aug 1 [cited

Apr 27];64(8):1232–41. Available from:

https://scorecard.prb.org/wpcontent/uploads/2022/03/

National-Adolescent-Health

Policy_Revised_2019_Post-NAHDWG_Post

NDHS_FNL_15Nov2019.pdf

Abiç A, Yatmaz G, Altınışık M and Can AA. Effects of

planned education on genital hygiene behavior of

adolescent females in a secondary school: A quasi

experimental study in northern Cyprus. Afr J Reprod

Health. 2024 Mar 6;28(2):107–15.

Njee RM, Imeda CP, Ali SM, Mushi AK, Mbata DD,

Kapala AW, Makundi EA, Nyigo VA, Majura AM,

Akyoo WO and Mbatia YJ. Menstrual health and

hygiene knowledge among post menarche adolescent

school girls in urban and rural Tanzania. Plos one.

Mar 11;19(3):e0284072.

Bowen-Viner K, Watson D and Symonds J. Addressing

menstrual stigma through sex education in England-

taking a sociomaterial turn. Sex Educ. 2024;24(1):76

Michael TO, Ojo TF, Ijabadeniyi OA, Ibikunle MA, Oni JO

and Agboola AA. Prevalence and factors associated

with contraceptive use among sexually active

adolescent girls in 25 sub-Saharan African countries.

PLoS One. 2024 Feb 28;19(2):e0297411.

Atreya A, Adhikari K, Nepal S, Bhusal M, Menezes RG,

Shrestha DB and, Shrestha D. Striving toward safe

abortion services in Nepal: A review of barriers and

facilitators. Health Feb;7(2):e1877. Science Reports. 2024

Kilgore AM and Layne J. Sex Redefined: Exploring the

Effects of Masturbatory Messaging toward Black

Girls and Women on Sexual Development and

Practice. J Black Sex Relatsh. 2023 Jan;9(3–4):93

Flores D, Kornides M and Meanley S. Inclusive and Age

Appropriate Timing of Sexual Health Discussions at

Home According to Gay, Bisexual, and Queer

Adolescent Males. Journal of Adolescent Health. 2023

May 1;72(5):754–62.

Javidi H, Widman L, Maheux AJ, McCrimmon J, Evans

Paulson R and Becker W. PACT: Developing and

Evaluating a Digital Sexual Consent Program for

Youth. J Sex Res. 2024;61(3):466–80.

Michael T. Influence of Social Media on Secondary School

Students’ Learning of Sexual Education in Nigeria.

Didaktika: Jurnal 13;13(1):813–22. Kependidikan. 2024 Feb

Guttmacher Institute. Sex and HIV Education [Internet].

Guttmacher Institute. 2023 [cited 2024 Apr 21].

Available from:

https://www.guttmacher.org/node/26268/printable/print

Shumba S, Moonga V, Miyoba TO, Jere S, Nkonde JM and

Mumba P. Socio-economic disparities and predictors

of fertility among adolescents aged 15 to 19 in

Zambia: Evidence from the Zambia demographic and

health survey (2018). PLOS Global Public Health.

Mar 27;4(3):e0002739.

Das M, Anand A, Barman P and Behera DK. Exploring the

relationship between socioeconomic status and

teenage pregnancy in India: a review on National

Apr Family Health Survey. SN Social Sciences [Internet].

15;4(4):89. Available

from: https://link.springer.com/10.1007/s43545-024-008897

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.