SEXUAL BEHAVIOUR OF IN-SCHOOL EARLY ADOLESCENTS: A CASE STUDY IN NEW JUABEN MUNICIPALITY

ABSTRACT The study aimed at exploring in-school early adolescents’ awareness, knowledge and opinion on various sexual issues that account for their sexual development and behaviour which may result in contracting sexually transmitted infections, unintended pregnancies and very early childbearing. Adopting the descriptive research design, the researcher selected 400 students and 35 teachers as respondents from four basic schools in the New Juaben Municipality of the Eastern Region of Ghana using the stratified sampling technique. Data was collected using questionnaire and was analysed using percentages. The main findings were that in-school early adolescents really involve themselves in sexual matters and various factors account for this but the most prominent one is lack of parental care. Again, most of them prefer to discuss their sexual issues with their parents. It was also noted that sex education is not included in most subjects and majority of the teachers’ respondents suggested that it should be included in all subjects and begin between the ages of 10 and 14. Finally, both teachers and students confirmed to the fact that sexual activities really affect the behaviour of in-school early adolescents. The study therefore recommends that all stakeholders should confront the issue of sexuality openly at home and at school early enough in order to give at first hand information. Guidance and Counselling Coordinators are also encouraged to organize seminars to prepare the children while still in the year of innocence. Curriculum planners should introduce sex education as part of syllabus for the various subjects being taught in the basic schools.