Teachers’ perceptions and attitudes around the possible implementation of sex education in schools: views from teachers in Kazakhstan’s Karaganda Region

Abstract

ABSTRACT Living in a conservative and traditional society, Kazakhstani people are generally reluctant to openly discuss sex education with their children. However, issues such as family violence, teenage pregnancy and high rates of STIs demonstrate the need to implement good-quality school-based sex education. Access to sex education is the inherent right of any child, and the absence of it is critical, sometimes resulting in dire consequences. Despite the worldwide development and implementation of sexual health education in many countries, it is still not provided in the Kazakhstani educational system due to the subject’s cultural sensitivity. This study investigated Kazakhstani primary and secondary school teachers’ attitudes and perceptions towards implementing school-based sexual health education. Qualitative data were gathered through semi-structured interviews with 10 teachers from both primary and secondary schools in Kazakhstan’s Karaganda Region. The findings reveal positive attitudes towards the implementing of sex education regardless of whether they taught in a primary or secondary school, the participant’s age, gender, years of teaching experience and urban or rural school location. However, while supportive, most teachers indicated they would not be comfortable or confident teaching sex education.