A comparative analysis between the religious and comprehensive sexuality education policies in South African schools

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-17
Author(s):  
Lindokuhle Ubisi
Author(s):  
Ronel Koch ◽  
Welma Wehmeyer

Comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) was implemented in South African schools in the year 2000 as part of the subject Life Orientation, with the aim of contributing positively to adolescent sexual health in a holistic manner. Continued high rate of teenage pregnancy and HIV infection is an indication; however, that the programme is not entirely successful. To establish why the aims of the programme and the consequences of learners’ sexual behaviour do not correspond, this systematic review aimed to determine how the programme contributes to the sexual health of adolescents and to make recommendations for its improvement. Nine databases were searched, after which two reviewers independently evaluated the methodological quality of the identified studies using an appraisal tool. The 22 articles that met the criteria for final inclusion were qualitative in nature and included cross-sectional and cohort studies. Results indicate that the contribution of the CSE programme is reflected in teachers, learners and the curriculum. Teachers are in need of expert training and learners are neither actively involved in the learning process nor the development of the programme as they need and would like to be. Recommendations include the development of context-specific training curricula for pre- and in-service teachers as developed collaboratively by various experts and stakeholders. Learners’ voices, active involvement, cultural context and needs are fundamental to the development and delivery of CSE. The teaching method and content of sexuality education should meet the contemporary needs of the 21st century adolescent to ensure optimal sexual health.


Author(s):  
Lindokuhle Ubisi

Despite the mixed public responses, the South African Department of Basic Education decided to issue its detailed comprehensive sexuality education scripted lesson plans for testing in schools. I conducted a desktop review by searching for digital newspapers in the online archive Sabinet References using six key terms such as "comprehensive sexuality education", "schools", and "South Africa." In total, I retrieved 128 newspaper articles and selected 83 for a Foucauldian discourse analysis underpinned by governmentality theory. The newspapers reported on marches, letters, and press conferences from various stakeholders such as parents, learners, teachers, and other social figures. Some stakeholders were in favour of the rollout while others were against, but of interest was the seemingly neutral position of those whose reporting was presented in a balanced, non-biased manner. In this paper, I aim to make sense of this neutrality in addition to the views in favour of and against the rollout while suggesting implications for educational settings.


Sex Education ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 191-209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvia Huaynoca ◽  
Venkatraman Chandra-Mouli ◽  
Nuhu Yaqub Jr. ◽  
Donna Marie Denno

Author(s):  
Oliver Tafadzwa Gore ◽  

Although policies to widen participation have been implemented in South African higher education since 1994, inequality of achievements persists in universities. The failure of the higher education policy to clearly define ‘disadvantage’ in various interventions seems to have contributed to the continuing inequalities. This study theorises disadvantage using the capabilities approach pioneered by Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum and argues for a more nuanced definition of disadvantage by exploring the opportunities, agency and achievements available to students in universities. The theorisation is based on findings from a qualitative case study of 26 semi-structured interviews conducted with students from one South African university. Using empirical findings, the theorisation in this study shows how the conversion factors intersect, resulting in some students achieving fewer functionings, which put them at a disadvantage. While gender equality seemingly has been achieved through enrolment figures that show parity levels, some female students are still disadvantaged through subtle forms of discrimination and sexual harassment in universities. This study therefore recommends that higher education policies should consider an expansive definition of disadvantage that encompasses the various dimensions of student wellbeing for all students to have flourishing lives.


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