Teaching Comprehensive Sexuality Education at Secondary School: Towards Promoting Healthy Sexual Decisions among Pupils, Luapula Province, Zambia

The study is an investigation into positive impacts of teaching Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) on pupils’ healthy sexual decisions. This study was purely a qualitative one employing a case study design. A total of 5 schools in Luapula Province were sampled, comprising 10 teachers and 40 pupils who were purposively and randomly selected. Data was collected using questionnaires and semi-structured interview guides while analysis of data was done using SPSS and themes. The study revealed that CSE has many positive impacts on pupils’ healthy sexual decisions, choices and behavior change in general; and also established misconceptions about CSE. The study recommends that CSE must be a compulsory, age-appropriate, co-curricular subject to all pupils in secondary schools and that teachers must endeavor to explain its importance and/or positive impact to pupils. This study concludes that pupils are able to make healthy sexual decisions if exposed to CSE more often.