ABSTRACT

School-based comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) can help adolescents acquire crucial knowledge and skills to achieve their full potential, particularly in low- and middle-income countries with higher rates of negative sexual and reproductive outcomes. While many low- and middle-income countries have developed CSE curricula, little is known about how these are implemented in the classroom. This multi-country mixed-methods study analysed challenges to the implementation of national CSE curricula in schools in Ghana, Kenya, Peru and Guatemala, based on surveys of secondary school principals, teachers and students aged 15–17 years, and in-depth interviews with central and local government, NGOs and youth organisations. In all four countries, inadequate teacher training remained a major hurdle to effective implementation, manifesting in teacher discomfort and inaccurate messaging. This was compounded by a lack of comprehensive teaching resources. CSE classes were focused mainly on biology at the expense of contraception, gender and rights, despite students’ desire for greater coverage of these topics. Teaching methods lacked interactive activities necessary to develop skills and values. Findings offer useful lessons to improve school-level implementation in these and other countries facing similar challenges. Increasing teacher training and distributing comprehensive CSE materials responsive to adolescents’ needs remain priorities in all countries.

摘要

以学校为基础的综合性教育 (CSE) 可以帮助青少年获得关键的知识和技能，以充分发挥其潜力，尤其是在性和生殖方面的负面结果发生率较高的低收入和中等收入国家。虽然许多低收入和中等收入国家制定了全面性教育课程，但人们对这些课程如何在课堂上实施却知之甚少。这项多国混合方法研究基于对中学校长、教师和 15-17 岁学生的调查和深入访谈，分析了在加纳、肯尼亚、秘鲁和危地马拉的学校实施国家全面性教育课程的挑战与中央和地方政府、非政府组织和青年组织合作。在所有四个国家，师资培训不足仍然是有效实施的主要障碍，表现在老师的不适和不准确的信息中。由于缺乏全面的教学资源，情况更加复杂。CSE 课程主要侧重于生物学，而忽略了避孕、性别和权利，尽管学生希望更多地涵盖这些主题。教学方法缺乏培养技能和价值观所必需的互动活动。调查结果为改善这些国家和其他面临类似挑战的国家的学校实施提供了有用的经验教训。增加教师培训和分发全面的 CSE 材料以满足青少年的需求仍然是所有国家的优先事项。尽管学生希望更多地涵盖这些主题。教学方法缺乏培养技能和价值观所必需的互动活动。调查结果为改善这些国家和其他面临类似挑战的国家的学校实施提供了有用的经验教训。增加教师培训和分发全面的 CSE 材料以满足青少年的需求仍然是所有国家的优先事项。尽管学生希望更多地涵盖这些主题。教学方法缺乏培养技能和价值观所必需的互动活动。调查结果为改善这些国家和其他面临类似挑战的国家的学校实施提供了有用的经验教训。增加教师培训和分发全面的 CSE 材料以满足青少年的需求仍然是所有国家的优先事项。