Sexual education for young people includes and focuses on the promotion and explanation of the reproductive system anatomy, stages in puberty, sexually transmitted infections, teenage pregnancy, contraception, gender roles and related concepts including gender-based violence and rights. This education and advice is intended to guide young people in understanding themselves and make informed decisions as they grow and help them gain attention to precautionary measures and informed perspectives at a young age.
The critical significance of sex education in the East African Community
A great need has been witnessed in the African Continent to educate society about gender norms and sexuality. This has been emphasized in the East African community because of the important and urgent issues including:
- High rates of STIs and teenage pregnancy: according to research on prevalence and risk factors of STIs, the largest number of people living with HIV are young people aged 15-24. This sample represents 41% of the total infections in Kenya (Awuoche et al., 2024). Similarly, an average of 23% of young people in this region get pregnant as teenagers.
- Gender-based hostility: this problem mostly affects women in society, especially in adolescence even before the age of 25. Providing education is essential to guide young people about their rights and measures to protect them against cases of sexual and gender-based abuse.
- Cultural-based misinformation: Cultural beliefs and myths often lead to widespread misinformation about sex and sexuality. These misconceptions, fueled by stigma and lack of accurate information, negatively impact young people’s health and choices. Clear, culturally sensitive, and evidence-based education is crucial to address these gaps and support informed decision making
- Procession and inclusion of sexual education in the education system: stakeholders and actors in education systems have emphasized the importance of including sexual education at different levels in order to support young people and give them life skills. For this reason, it is important to emphasize these goals in order to reach young people at different stages. This is mainly for ending corrupt policies in society.
- The lack of sufficient educational implementation: Despite the measures funded so far, issues of gender, growth and teenage pregnancy and STIs have not been presented to young people. Some of the challenges are the stereotypes, accessibility to young people and personal attitudes.
Sex Education and the Ideologies Involved
Sex education involves empowering young people by providing them with training, accurate information about sex, their bodily autonomy and anatomy, gender and knowledge on relationships appropriate to their age. These reminders are important at every stage of a young person’s development to offer critical knowledge and values of what to expect into adulthood. It is important to emphasize concepts in stages to give them the opportunity to understand some of the information that can be distorted by social background and stereotypes. The increase in STIs and pregnancy among young people is sufficient evidence of the need for this education.
Key concepts in sex education
The reproductive system and genetics/Human anatomy
Reproduction focuses on the development and maturity of the individual in terms of the nature and health of the reproductive system. Focusing on the different stages in the lives of young people and the different genders is important in directing them to expectations and how to accept and respond to these changes.
Planned pregnancy
Young people are the pillars of society and the ability to thrive depends on the ability and mental and physical health. In this regard, it is key to educate them in health education and family planning for their physical and mental health against effects resulting from STIs, teenage pregnancy and unintended pregnancy.
Young people have been identified as the most vulnerable group to the challenges posed by lack of access to reproductive health education and family planning. Statistics show that 43 percent of all people living with HIV are young people, of whom 80 percent are young women, and are, therefore, at the highest risk of their well-being.
Relationships and Consent
Education in consent, respect and purpose in relationships is fundamental for young people growing up. Awareness of these issues including their place and rights in relationships is especially lacking in communities. This lack of knowledge limits the need to focus on these lessons and to promote them in different settings to help young people maintain good relationships and socialize.
Control of STIs
Funding and disseminating knowledge about STIs and AIDS is one of the key pillars of sexual education. This education will help young people to reduce and protect themselves against these infections.
The Right Age for Sexual Education and Its Concepts
It is important to introduce early sexual education on human anatomy, parenting and gender roles to children as they age. This exposure is an important foundation that provides young people with the necessary training to understand themselves and take care of themselves as adults. Various explanations may be presented as follows:
Ages 3-5: Basic training and the secrets of nature
This age bracket is transforming into the first consciousness and the need to understand the natural anatomy. It’s important to consider the basic genetic structure and details as well as the human anatomy. This is central to the concept of privacy, boundaries in socialization and respect for other people. A central pillar in these studies is better health and physical safety.
Ages 6-9: Early puberty and the reproductive system
Biological changes begin to show at this age. It is important to lay the foundation for understanding the changes that are taking place and to explain the reproductive system with consideration to respect, especially from other people. The point to consider at this age is that when a young person is growing, their own health in terms of physical and social interaction is just as important as their bodily anatomy.
Age 10 onwards: Adolescent education in depth, relationships and consent
This age introduces youth, changes in the reproductive system, emotions and desires. In guiding young people, reminders to help them understand their emotional and reproductive systems serve as a guide at this age. This education should be a pillar in making relationship decisions, consent, connecting with others and the limits even online platforms. Since emotions and desires do change in this group, knowledge on pregnancy and family planning, STIs and relationships are important to consider.
Strengthening the Multicultural and Gender Education System
Guidance for youths in their mature years guides their physical and mental health by providing knowledge on the effects of sex and childbearing. Strengthening education systems is an important part of reaching out to communities with these reminders to give them a sound basis to make informed and healthy choices that align with their values and well-being. This requires a variety of stakeholders including parents, schools, government and non-governmental organizations to engage with the community. Their roles and responsibilities are listed below:
Government
Creating and implementing systems: the government has a primary responsibility in the introduction of basic structures and policies to facilitate the relevant curriculums for education in society. Government agencies take the lead in formulating, enforcing and distributing health policies and programs in institutions.
Investing in education: governments have an obligation to invest money to help create educational systems, fund teacher training and distribute these resources in the community to reach and benefit all youth and society.
Non-governmental organizations
Private organizations are the backbone of educational systems and the implementation of basic structures especially in remote communities. The funding of these organizations is beneficial in reaching out and connecting with people to introduce sexual education even where the government has not been successful.
These organizations provide in-depth understanding and implementation of reproductive and gender education. Organizations such as WHO and the UN fund educational guides and help to steer people away from the .
Schools and institutions
Educational institutions are responsible for educating young people from infancy to adolescence about the reproductive system, genetics, sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases. Depending on the age of the student, schools run by the government prepare appropriate lessons and include them in the curriculum.
Teacher certification and training – Instructors are trained and funded by the school to provide students with curricular subjects and skills. This is important to provide education on issues of fertility, sexuality and sexually transmitted diseases to young people.
Parents and guardians
Initial training is provided by the parents to the child as they grow. It is the guardian’s responsibility to provide an environment in which the adolescent can talk and be fully informed about matters that concern them. The parent maintains a relationship with the child so that they have a good and trustworthy guide.
The parent’s contribution is also to finance the necessary information for the training they receive in the different systems. The parent will take responsibility for the child’s relationship and make sure they understand and make appropriate choices as a dependent age.
Key Programs and Methods Successfully Implemented in Educational Guidelines for Youth
Funding and strengthening sexual education for young people especially in the East African community requires the cooperation of different organizations to reach young people in different areas. Some of the organizations that are making this knowledge a reality are:
Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) Integration – Kenya
The system has been consistent in introducing puberty and fertility into school curricula as a mandatory concept for all students to be taught about sex, fertility and STIs and their prevention. This organization has also been at the forefront of training teachers.
The National Sexuality Education Framework
The national system in Uganda responsible for the development and implementation of the gender education curriculum that is implemented in schools. It also ensures that the curriculum and funding of teachers in these subjects is done by the education department in the country.
The Education Plus Initiative
This system involves all African countries in the commitment to eradicate STIs and tackle AIDS on the continent through community education. In this vision, the organization focuses on education for girls and funding to reduce the transmission of AIDS and STIs.
Steps to Action (Act Now!!)
Over the years, measures to implement sexual education as a right of every individual in society have been considered but a large group of young people have not been properly reached. Particularly in the East African community, many young people have been stricken by the AIDS epidemic, sexually transmitted diseases, child marriages and gender hostility due to lack of education and training. It is also important to highlight that social backgrounds have undermined efforts to educate young people.
Several points have been stressed in this aspect of educating young people, especially in schools. However, studies show that these courses are not deep enough to educate students and the implementation of the curriculum is not tailored to their needs. Also, there is a large group of young people who are not reached by these courses due to poor infrastructure/accessibility and lack of players. Key to the implementation of this pillar is the funding of self-defense equipment that is not available to community areas due to various problems.
The time is now. It is important now to look at the systems provided, funding, implementation and investment of this education to young people to reach all in the community. The East African Community (EAC) acknowledges the gap in reaching out to young people on these issues and the need for urgent solutions. This is something that requires collaboration of organizations, governments and individual efforts to implement these health education for youth and communities to control sexual, reproductive and reproductive health.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: How does sex education benefit young people?
Sexual education, especially emphasized, provides young people with guidance in matters of sexuality, STIs, pregnancy and body changes, reproductive health and anatomy. In general, these reminders direct youths to maturity and protect them from the effects of sexual relations. Through this training, youths can make informed choices for their health and life.
Q2: How does sex education help reduce teenage pregnancy?
In the sex education curriculum and system, the youth are instructed about sexual awareness up to the appropriate age, about proper precautions to take if they engage in sexual intercourse such as abstinence and protected sex. These help to cope with teenage pregnancy and unintended pregnancy.
Q3: Why should sex and gender education be taught early?
Early education for young people is important in helping the following:
- Protect children from abuse – when children understand important aspects of their physical anatomy and consent, they are less vulnerable to sexual abuse in the community.
- Strengthening relationships with other people – it is important to take these reminders into account in order to give children and young people trustworthy guidance in their relationships with adults with an understanding of their sexuality and the respect that is required.
- Pre-adolescence guidance – it is good to prepare children/teenagers at an early age for what they will face in their adolescence. This is an important factor in coping with later body changes and emotions.
Q4: Who is responsible for educating young people about sexuality and reproductive health?
Young people face many different people in their lives. It is the responsibility of the society to cultivate good relationships so that the young get knowledge from the adults. Similarly, parents/guardians as the first teachers have the responsibility to initiate this training and then the teachers in the participating schools.
Governments and non-governmental organizations have a responsibility to implement systems and curricula to educate young people and to fund access to this education in all corners.