Changing Norms about Life Skills and Sexuality Education through Empowerment: A study of public secondary life skills teachers’ experiences and perceptions in Zanzibar

Abstract

Formal life skills education, including topics related to sexuality, was developed in the 1990s to prevent HIV/AIDS as well as a method to strengthen ‘good’ behaviours among students in schools. In Zanzibar, life skills education interventions have duplicated in recent years. However, it can still be difficult to discuss topics related to sexuality and harmful traditions such as early marriage, unintended pregnancies, and the shame of condom use is perpetuated. Children in Zanzibar may therefore approach adulthood with confusion and lack of knowledge. Teachers play an important, yet difficult, role to deliver formal life skills and sexuality education. This study focuses on how teachers in Zanzibar experience and perceive life skills education, including topics related to sexuality, in public secondary schools. The data is based on interviews with 10 life skills teachers at three chosen schools in the district of Mjini Magharibi in Zanzibar. In my study, I have focused on norm changing and empowerment by looking at teachers’ perceived challenges of teaching life skills and topics related to sexuality, their role and approach and the perceived impact this education may have for the theirs’ and the learners’ empowerment. The results show that the teachers have the willingness to teach about life skills and topics related to sexuality. The teachers are also a trust-worthy source of information and advice for the learners. However, lack of material-, human-, and social resources and resistance from the community is slowing the implementation and changes in norms regarding life skills and sexuality education. The results also show positive impacts for the teachers’ and learners’ empowerment through the knowledge in life skills and topics related to sexuality, which strengthen earlier research.