Abstract:
Children generally are shy to ask their parents questions related to sex
and reproduction. It is normally challenging for parents to give factual
responses to their children regardless of children’s age. Talking to a teacher
may be easier. Sex education is usually offered in schools or elsewhere
with the aim of helping young people to learn early enough about the
physiological and emotional changes that might take place in their bodies.
It is offered with the hope that the recipients would consequently develop
self respect and be able to make responsible decisions pertaining to their
sexual lives. This paper therefore discusses the need for sex education in
Kenyan schools. The focus is on questions raised by primary and secondary
school students in 2010 within a context of a larger study. The students
were asked to write on a piece of paper questions that they would not ask
their parents or teachers. The questions are pointers to the fact that most
children lack correct and useful information on sexuality and there is need
to introduce sex education as a subject in the Kenyan school curriculum.
