USAID SOUTH AFRICA SCHOOL-BASED SEXUALITY AND HIV PREVENTION EDUCATION ACTIVITY

The Education Development Center (EDC) supports the Department of Basic Education (DBE) through strengthening existing systems to strengthen delivery and effectiveness of Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE). The South African government has implemented policies and frameworks that support CSE, including the National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2017-2022, which emphasizes the importance of CSE in reducing HIV infections among adolescents. The Department of Basic Education (DBE) has also developed guidelines for CSE, which include the provision of accurate and comprehensive information on human sexuality, relationships, and reproductive health. The South African School-Based Sexuality and HIV Prevention Education Activity aims to support the DBE in strengthening the delivery and effectiveness of CSE. The activity focuses on the following objectives: (i) to solicit parents' perspectives on CSE, (ii) to use the information to inform the development of CSE sensitization workshops for parents, and (iii) to support the DBE in strengthening the delivery and effectiveness of CSE. The activity involved conducting focus group discussions with parents and school governing body (SGB) members in the Bohlabela district in Mpumalanga and Johannesburg West district in Gauteng. A total of 87 parents and SGB members participated in the activity. The results of the focus group discussions revealed three comprehensive themes: (i) parents' perceptions of school-based comprehensive sexuality education, (ii) CSE vs challenging community contexts, and (iii) parents' dominant messages to their children regarding sexuality-related topics. Parents recognized the importance of school-based CSE for their children but were hesitant and reluctant to provide CSE in schools due to lack of information and understanding of CSE content. Parents faced challenges in effectively communicating with their children about SRH-related topics, with most parents preferring to convey abstinence-based messages to their children. Community and contextual challenges faced by parents and learners include gender-based violence, rape, and unintended pregnancies, which pose a threat to adolescent sexual and reproductive health rights (ASRHR) and CSE. The results of the activity suggest that while the provision of CSE in schools is recognized as important by parents, the contextual challenges faced by parents and learners undermine some of the rights-based messages that CSE affords learners. Findings from this activity also suggest that CSE policy and programs in schools should match parents' expectations. Effective CSE interventions need to include and assist parents to take a more active role in supporting CSE in schools. The South African School-Based Sexuality and HIV Prevention Education Activity aims to contribute to reducing new HIV infections, accelerate and sustain HIV epidemic control in South Africa, supporting achievement of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2017-2022 goals and the "95-95-95" targets. The activity supports the DBE in strengthening the delivery and effectiveness of CSE, which is critical in reducing HIV infections among adolescents. The activity also highlights the importance of involving parents in supporting CSE in schools, which is essential in ensuring the success and sustainability of CSE programs. The activity's findings suggest that CSE policy and programs in schools should match parents' expectations, and effective CSE interventions need to include and assist parents to take a more active role in supporting CSE in schools. The activity's objectives are aligned with the goals of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) 2017-2022, which emphasizes the importance of CSE in reducing HIV infections among adolescents. The activity's focus on involving parents in supporting CSE in schools is critical in ensuring the success and sustainability of CSE programs.