Parents' views on teaching comprehensive sexuality education in early grades: a South African case study

Abstract

Child abuse is described as a worldwide pandemic extending across all races, tribes, cultures, and social classes To prevent this pandemic there is a need for the teaching and learning of  Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) in the early grades. The knowledge and skills of this programme will empower young children with the basic skills of decision-making and communication to report such incidences. However, many South African parents have formed negative views towards CSE due for various reasons, such as values, culture, religion and lack of knowledge. This has led to parents requesting to withdraw their children from the classes where the teaching of CSE takes place. This article explored parents' views towards teaching the CSE programme in the early grades. The study was conducted in the Gauteng province, involving ten parents purposively selected who had children in the early grades in public schools. A qualitative approach with an interpretivist paradigm guided the research. The study utilised a case study, semi-structured interviews, document analysis, and a reflective journal as data-collection methods. This study used both Bronfenbrenner's Ecological Systems Theory and Bowens Family System Model as a lens to explore the views of parents. Data revealed that many parents were ill-informed on the content of CSE. They believed that CSE content primarily focused on teaching sexuality education and sexual relationship. Other factors that contributed to their attitudes were cultural, religious, and family norms. The study recommends that there is a need to facilitate more in-depth and frequent consultations with parents to discuss the nature of CSE teaching in the early grades and the content of Comprehensive Sexuality Education in the early grades. Parents need to be informed thoroughly of the content of CSE. Together with the School Governing Bodies, parents should meet with the school officials to discuss CSE age-appropriate content. It was also recommended that a Handbook for Parents on CSE outlining the age- and grade- appropriate content should be made available to every parent.