Sex Education: School Teachers’ Attitude and Implementation in Wayanad District

Abstract

In the Indian context, the term ‘sex’ and sex-related concepts are still considered as taboo, sexual education is an important topic to explore. The laws and beliefs of a community may influence the attitudes of its members . For the majority of the time, people’s behavior will mirror their attitude. Teachers are the second parent to offer sexual education to youngsters. Regarding the implementation of a proper sex education in the school, it would be crucial to examine the teachers’ attitudes. The purpose of this study is to comprehend the school teachers’ perspective on sexual education and its execution in the Wayanad district of Kerala. This mixed-methods study included 40 Wayanad district upper elementary and secondary school teachers. After receiving clearance from the institution’s ethical committee and consent from the school administration, the professors were contacted. Along with the personal data sheet, the “Attitude scale toward sex education” and a semi-structured interview were used to collect data. The majority of instructors (58%) had a negative outlook on sexual education. There were no gender variations in school instructors’ attitudes regarding sexual education. The qualitative research demonstrated a disparity between the attitudes of school instructors toward sex education and their execution of sex education program in school settings. This study indicated the necessity to enhance the sexuality knowledge of school instructors in Kerala. It was also determined that government and societal support are crucial for implementing a sex education program in school settings.