SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS’ BELIEFS, VALUE SYSTEMS AND PRACTICES REGARDING THE TEACHING OF COMPREHENSIVE SEXUALITY EDUCATION IN LIFE SKILLS EDUCATION

Abstract

The study explored secondary school teachers' beliefs, values, and practices in teaching Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) within Life Skills Education, to understand how they navigate this sensitive area. The central question was: "What are the secondary school teachers' beliefs, value systems and practices regarding the teaching of CSE in Life Skills Education?" A qualitative phenomenological design captured teachers' perspectives through questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with fourteen purposefully selected participants from eight secondary schools in Dowa District. The study had six key findings. Firstly, teachers held positive attitudes towards CSE, though their views on its importance varied. Secondly, teachers’ beliefs and values influenced the teaching of CSE. Thirdly, pedagogical approaches differed, with some using traditional lecturing and others favouring learner-centred discussions. Fourthly, challenges included student shyness, teachers' negative perceptions, inadequate materials, curriculum age-inappropriateness, and linguistic/cultural barriers. Fifthly, handling sensitive questions varied, with some teachers responding publicly, others privately, and some needing more time to research before providing feedback. Lastly, none of the Life Skills teachers held a tertiary qualification in the subject, including CSE. The study recommends offering tertiary-level training and regular Continuous Professional Development to enhance teachers' CSE knowledge, skills, and instructional methods for successful curriculum implementation. Future research could explore students' and parents' perceptions of CSE in schools as this study only involved secondary school teachers.