USAID SOUTH AFRICA SCHOOL-BASED SEXUALITY AND HIV PREVENTION EDUCATION ACTIVITY MOTIVATION AND PARTICIPATION IN SEXUALITY EDUCATION CLASSES ISSUE BRIEF 2

Adolescent girls are at high risk of HIV, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted teenage pregnancy, and gender-based violence. The rise in risky sexual behaviors among adolescent learners has sparked alarm and has become an area of interest for sexual reproductive health researchers aiming to find innovative solutions to promote better healthy sexual outcomes. In South Africa, motivation is key to ensuring learners are receptive to the messages contained in the School-Based Life Orientation (SLP) program. A UNESCO report on barriers to implementing CSE indicated that the lack of motivation amongst students was a significant barrier to knowledge acquisition. There is little known about the motivation, and by extension participation, of adolescent girls to study Life Orientation and their participation in class. To assess learners' motivation, participation, and learning in sexuality education classes, a classroom survey was conducted in three schools in Mpumalanga (Bohlabela district). The survey was administered to 253 adolescent girls, with a mean age of 15.7 years old and a median age of 16 years old. Just over half (53.8%) of them were in grade 10, and the rest were in grade 11. Approximately 26.6% of girls had ever had sex, and 15.1% had been absent from school in the previous 12 months. The survey results indicate that participation in class is very high, with 81.7% of learners indicating that they participate in class. Only 8.7% said they don't participate in class discussions. Nearly all the learners (97.1%) were motivated to learn about CSE, and the vast majority (78.8%) of adolescent girls indicated that they had learnt a lot during CSE lessons. These findings suggest that students are interested in the subject material and are motivated to learn about CSE. The cultivation of a learning environment in which young people share and debate their views promotes engagement and critical thinking. Learner engagement is influenced not only by internal motivation but also by a diversity of cognitive, affective, and behavioral issues, including internalized discourse around HIV and AIDS, the quality of learner-educator relations, and teaching competencies; peer pressures; and broader cultural dynamics. The results of this survey provide valuable insights into the motivation and participation of adolescent girls in CSE classes and highlight the importance of creating a supportive learning environment that promotes engagement and critical thinking.