Perceptions of Women Teachers on Condom Availability in Schools: South African perspective

Abstract

The former Minister of Education in South Africa recently stated that education authorities will not be making condoms available to learners at school. In her opinion, …holding teachers responsible for distributing condoms would make teaching very, very difficult. On the contrary, despite acknowledging a dissident view which says that condom availability in schools may encourage sexual activity, one may argue that one way of increasing condom access for adolescents is to make condoms available in schools. Utilising a sample of 281 women teachers from primary and secondary schools in the eastern Free State region, South Africa, the study investigates perceptions of women teachers on condom availability in schools through a structured questionnaire. The majority of women teachers in the sample were aware that some schools in their area distribute condoms to learners and regard the distribution of condoms in schools not as a responsibility of teachers.