The Role of Comprehensive Sexual Education in the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy: Experiences of Learners and Educators in Secondary Schools in Soweto, South Africa

Abstract

Globally, studies have shown that learner pregnancy and childbirth can have health and social consequences. Female learners who conceive at a tender age often drop out of school, which limits their learning opportunities and employment prospects. Comprehensive Sexual Education (CSE) is instrumental in reducing learner pregnancy rates by providing female learners with information about the consequences of unprotected sex and pregnancy, transferring knowledge about methods of contraception, encouraging condom use, and reducing early sexual debut. However, studies have shown barriers to implementing the CSE, such as sociocultural norms, parental attitudes, educator-related challenges, and economic constraints. The study explored the role of CSE offered as part of the Life Orientation (LO) subject in secondary schools in Soweto, South Africa. The research adopted a qualitative approach using the phenomenological research design. The purposive sampling technique was used to recruit female learners and educators from two (N = 2) public secondary schools located in Soweto. In each secondary school, the researcher recruited ten (N = 10) female learners and three (N = 3) educators who were teaching and coordinating the LO subject. An interview guide was used as the research instrument, and the data was collected through semi-structured one- on-one interviews. Thematic analysis was used as the method of data analysis. Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological theory was used to understand the impact of the contexts in which the learners live, especially regarding female learners’ experiences of sexual education and experiences of learner pregnancy. The key findings reveal that CSE improves learners' knowledge of contraceptives and pregnancy prevention. However, cultural and religious practices and educators’ discomfort hindered educators from openly talking about sex and its consequences during the LO lessons. As a result, the learners reported to often rely on peers or online sources for sexual health information, leading to the spread of misinformation. The recommendations include expanding teacher training, enhancing the CSE curriculum, and increasing collaboration with health professionals to provide resources within schools.