Students’ sexuality and millennium development goals.

Abstract

The study outcomes discussed in this paper is based on a research carried out in Thika District in Kenya among sampled secondary school students, their head teach ers and teacher counsellors. The major objective of the study was to find out how sexual related information received through various sources influence secondary school students sexual behaviour. The study was guided by available and relevant literature to develop five hypotheses. The research design used in this study was survey. Questionnaires were prepared for student respondents while head teachers and teacher counsellor respondents were interviewed as key informants. The data collected was recorded usi ng SPSS for statistical tabulation and was subjected to coefficient and ANOVA model of analysis. The results of testing of outlined hypothesis yielded pertinent issues such as; many secondary school students are sexually active with or without any sex educ ation from schools, families or religious institutions; students rely mostly on what they learn through the peer groups and the media. There was concurrence on opinions when a comparison of students’ views on the matter with those of the teachers was done. The study confirmed that there is a strong relationship between sexual behaviour and the amount of information available. The source from which most sexual related information is accessible has the greatest influence on secondary school students’ sexual b ehaviour. Limited information from school curriculum, parents and religious institutions does not translate to moral behaviour and neither does it deter adolescents from experiencing sexual activity. Therefore premarital pregnancies and subsequent abortion s or drop out from schools, HIV/AIDS infections and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) continue to frustrate the efforts of the government to achieve the MDGs, through interruption of academic progress among students leading to a rise in poverty levels in the society and loss of untapped talent in Kenya. The paper therefore discusses how a strategy for the achievement of MDGs needs to include a program that addresses sexual related information to raise levels of awareness among students and prevent the negative consequences of irresponsible sexual behaviour.