Policy and Practice of School-Based Sexuality Education in Selected Primary Schools of Ethiopia and Uganda: A Gender Perspective
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Date
2023-05
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to understand the policy and practice of school-based Sexuality Education (SE) from a gender perspective in the case of selected government primary schools in Ethiopia and Uganda. Since the 1980s, following the HIV/AIDS epidemic, emphasis on providing adolescents with sexual health education increased in Africa, including Ethiopia and Uganda. There was positive result achieved with regards to the knowledge transfer on HIV/AIDS awareness, and some behavioural change among adolescents. Although, studies show that Sexuality Education (SE) remains challenged to expand to large number of schools and achieve the intended behavioural change among the adolescents. Standing on the transformative/ critical philosophical paradigm, this study employed theoretically informed ethnographic research design. Observation in the classroom, outside the classroom, and school surrounding, and document review was followed by in-depth interviews, and FGDs conducted in the natural setting of the participants. The study participants were the SE students (boys and girls, age 12-14), SE teachers, school management, and experts from MoE and I/NGOs. The data was analysed from Connell’s gender theory, neo-institutional and southern theoretical frameworks categorized under the central themes generated from the data, and the research questions. The findings indicate that in both selected schools in Ethiopia and Uganda, in which SE is being implemented, the gender interaction remains to normalize the disadvantage and silence of girls. On the other hand, boys seem relatively being socialised to a more empowering traits, similar to the global gender pattern. In Ethiopia, there is no explicit SE policy in the education system, but it rather claimed to be integrated in multiple programs and subjects. In Uganda, efforts to develop separate SE framework was challenged by various resistance voices. The findings show that, in both Ethiopia and Uganda, SE policy and practices supported by I/NGOs is challenged by the resistance coming from religious leaders, and local influencers. The SE practices in both schools appear to be trapped in a dilemma between the function of
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instilling the existing sexuality and gender values and transforming them. The dominant SE contents in both schools includes HIV/AIDS awareness, gender equality, and body awareness. However, the contents of SE happen to remain focused on abstinence-only, particularly targeting girls with protective and judgmental messages while behaviours of boys are justified and tolerated. The study findings indicate that the SE contents practiced in the schools have discrepancy with what learners yearn to know. The SE contents, especially in the school in Ethiopia, appear radical in challenging societal gender power relations while neglecting the gender relation in school. In the school in Uganda on the other hand, appear radical in creating body awareness among adolescents in contrary to the approach observed in the HIV/ AIDS related sessions. The teaching-learning approach in SE is relatively democratic and participatory compared to the regular classroom in a way that helps empower students. The selected schools in Ethiopia and Uganda have generally similar SE practices where slight differences are observed in the emphasis given for gender equality in the school in Ethiopia and more open discussion on body change in the school from Uganda. The study suggests the need to bring the needs and experiences of students, especially girls, to center of the policies and practices of SE. Moreover, it is also suggested to capacitate and utilize local structures such as religious leaders, and community influencers as an ally to support the SE policies and practices.
Key Words: Sexuality, Sexuality Education, Adolescents, Gender, GBV, Neo-institutionalism, and Ethnography.