Content, Delivery, and Accessibility of Sexuality Education among Newly Admitted University Students in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Content, Delivery, and Accessibility of Sexuality Education among Newly Admitted University Students in Ekiti State, Nigeria

Margaret Adefiola Oluwayemi (PhD)¹, Atinuke Akinyemi (PhD)²

¹Department of Human Kinetics and Health Education, Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere, Ekiti State, Nigeria

²Department of Education and Professional Studies (EPS) University of Education, Gambia

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.909000154

Received: 22 August 2025; Accepted: 29 August 2025; Published: 02 October 2025

ABSTRACT

This study investigated the content, delivery, and accessibility of sexuality education among newly admitted university students in Ekiti State, Nigeria. A descriptive survey design was employed at Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere, involving 168 students selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a self-constructed questionnaire and analyzed with SPSS Version 23 using descriptive statistics. Findings revealed that parental guidance was largely moralistic; 81% were cautioned against provocative dressing, 29.8% against close interactions with the opposite sex, and 22.6% were advised to abstain from sexual intercourse, and only 26.2% of respondents received explanations on anatomical changes. Strategies for delivering sexuality education were inconsistent: 41.1% could not recall any parental approach, 37% received sexuality-related books, 20.2% reported direct discussions, and 1.2% learned through situational teaching. Regarding parental openness, only 13.1% can freely discuss sexual issues with both parents, and 34.5% with neither. Outside the family, friends were the most common source of sexual information (47.6%), followed by artificial intelligence (22.6%). The findings highlight significant gaps in parental involvement in sexuality education and the need for systematic and comprehensive interventions to provide young people with accurate sexual and reproductive health knowledge.

Keywords: Sexuality education, parental guidance, university students, reproductive health

INTRODUCTION

Sexuality education refers to the structured provision of knowledge about physical development, sex, relationships, and sexuality, combined with skills training to help young people communicate effectively and make informed decisions regarding their sexual and reproductive health (World Health Organization (WHO, 2021). Sexuality education covers a wide range of topics, such as puberty, reproduction, relationships, abstinence, contraception, sexual violence, and body image (WHO, 2021; UNESCO, 2018). As a central component of adolescent development, sexuality education equips young people with the ability to make informed sexual choices, promotes responsible behaviour, and enhances their awareness of the moral and health implications of sexual activity (UNESCO, 2018)

Parents play a pivotal role in providing accurate and age-appropriate sexuality information with nurturing skills to help their children navigate sexual health issues (Ogunjimi et al., 2023; Purwanti et al., 2020). Ideally, sexuality education should begin at an early age when children can understand body awareness and emotional development. Evidence indicates that early, structured sexuality education reduces engagement in risky sexual behavior and fosters healthier sexual decision-making (Ajayi et al., 2021; Fonner et al., 2014).

Sexuality education also functions as a vital public health tool for reducing unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), including HIV, as well as their associated social and economic burdens (Islam, Chinagorom, & Akande, 2025). UNICEF (2020) reports that one in four girls experiences sexual abuse before the age of 18, underscoring the importance of parents teaching protective behaviors. While many schools integrate sexuality education into their curricula, parents must reinforce these lessons at home, because when young people have access to comprehensive, age-appropriate, and accurate information on sexuality, they are more likely to have healthy relationships necessary for safeguarding their well-being (WHO, 2023). Despite the importance of sexuality education, the delivery remains a subject of debate. This is because it is not exclusively the responsibility of formal educational institutions; rather, it should involve multiple sources such as the home, religious institutions, and other institutions within the community (Ahanonu & Jooste, 2016; Chandra-Mouli et al., 2018). Although, it is likely that many schools have sexuality education as part of their curriculum, educating adolescents on sexuality should also be the responsibility of parents. Parents have an important role in developing sexuality education to their children. Unfortunately, many parents overlook the importance of sex education and avoid discussing sexual matters with their children due to cultural taboos or personal discomfort, they often replace factual information with warnings based on fear or shame (Osadolor et al., 2022).

In this digital era, young people are increasingly exposed to sexually explicit content through the internet and social media, making timely and accurate sexuality education more essential than ever (UNESCO, 2021). Although limited studies suggest that some Nigerian parents provide sexuality education, such research is scarce in Ekiti State, particularly in Ikere Local Government Area. The extent and content of parental sexuality education in this region remain unclear, creating a knowledge gap for health educators seeking to design targeted interventions. Therefore, against this backdrop, the present study examined the content, delivery, and accessibility to sexuality education among new students of a university in Ikere Local Government Area of Ekiti State, Nigeria

METHODOLOGY

The study adopted a descriptive survey design and was conducted at Bamidele Olumilua University of Education, Science and Technology, Ikere, Ekiti State. A total of 168 newly admitted students were selected through a simple random sampling technique to participate in the study. Data were collected using a self-constructed questionnaire structured into three sections. The first section elicited information on the sociodemographic characteristics of the respondents. The second section focused on the contents of sexuality education provided by parents as well as the strategies employed in delivering such education. The third section explored which parent respondents felt more comfortable discussing sexual matters with, alongside other sources of sexuality education available to them. Face and content validity of the instrument were carried out by experts in the Health Sciences, and the internal consistency of the questionnaire was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha, which was found to be 0.78. Data collected were coded and analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), Version 23. Descriptive statistics, including frequency counts and percentages, were employed to summarize the demographic information and address the research questions.

RESULTS

Table 1: Demographic Variables of the Respondents

Table 1 presents the socio-demographic characteristics of the respondents. The study involved 168 newly admitted students from a State University in Ekiti State, comprising 46 males (27.4%) and 122 females (72.6%). Their ages ranged from 15 to 29 years, with nearly two-thirds, 108 students (64.3%), falling within the 15-19 age group. The majority, 144 respondents (85.7%), identified as Christians. Regarding parents’ educational attainment, fathers generally had low levels of formal education: 10 (6.0%) had no formal education, 14 (8.3%) had only completed primary school, and over half, 92 (54.7%), had completed secondary school. Similarly, mothers showed low educational levels, with 106 (63.1%) having completed only secondary school. In terms of occupation, most fathers and mothers were engaged in petty trading or artisan work.

Table 2: Contents of Parental Sexual Information

Table 2 presents the forms of sexuality-related education adolescents received from their parents. Only 44 respondents (26.2%) reported being informed about the reasons for anatomical changes during adolescence. Parental guidance was predominantly moral, with 136 respondents (81%) advised against dressing provocatively. Additional instructions included avoiding close interactions with the opposite sex (50 respondents, 29.8%), abstaining from sexual intercourse (38 respondents, 22.6%), and preventing members of the opposite sex from touching sensitive body parts (34 respondents, 20.2%)

Table 3: Strategies Used to Provide Sexuality Education

Table 3 showed the strategies used by parents to provide sexuality related education to the respondents. Almost half 69 (41.1%) cannot remember if their parents used any specific strategies or tell them anything related to sexuality, but 62 (37%) claimed that their parents bought books for them that contained information on sexuality, also 34 (20.2%) indicated that their parents talked with them directly while 2 (1.2%) claimed that their parents use different situation to teach them on sexual related issues

Table 4: Which Parent Provides Information

Table 4 presents the parent with whom respondents feel comfortable discussing sexual matters. A total of 62 respondents (36.9%) reported being free to talk only with their fathers, while 26 (15.5%) felt comfortable only with their mothers. Twenty-two respondents (13.1%) were open with both parents, whereas 58 (34.5%) indicated that they were not free to discuss such issues with either parent.

Table 5: Other Sources of Sexuality Information

Table 5 outlines other sources from which respondents obtained sexual information. Friends were the most common source, reported by 80 respondents (47.6%), followed by artificial intelligence (AI) in 38 cases (22.6%), social media in 26 cases (15.5%), and school in 14 cases (8.3%). Twelve respondents (7.2%) indicated that they had no source of sexual information.

DISCUSSION

This study examined the socio-demographic characteristics, parental involvement in sexuality education, and alternative sources of sexual information among newly admitted university students in one of the state universities in Ekiti State. The findings reveal important insights into the patterns and gaps in sexuality education within the study setting. The majority of respondents were female (72.6%) and within the 15–19-year age bracket (64.3%), suggesting that most entrants into higher education in the study area are late adolescents. This is consistent with the demographic profile of first-year university students in Nigeria (Ajayi et al., 2021). The high proportion of respondents with parents possessing only secondary-level education, both fathers (54.7%) and mothers (63.1%), is noteworthy. Lower parental education levels have been associated with reduced engagement in comprehensive sexuality education for adolescents (Ogunjimi et al., 2023; UNESCO, 2018). Additionally, the predominance of petty trading and artisan work as parental occupations suggests a socio-economic context that may further limit access to diverse educational resources at home.

The content of sexuality education provided by parents was found to be largely moralistic, with an overwhelming focus on modesty in dress (81%) and avoidance of close relationships with the opposite sex (29.8%), rather than on factual or physiological aspects such as anatomical changes during adolescence (26.2%). This aligns with previous Nigerian studies showing that parents often emphasize moral directives over reproductive health information (Ahanonu & Jooste, 2016; Osadolor et al., 2022). Such moral emphasis may leave adolescents without the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions regarding their sexual health, potentially increasing vulnerability to misinformation from peers or online sources.

The strategies parents used to deliver sexuality education were inconsistent. While 37% of respondents reported receiving books from their parents, and 20.2% engaged in direct conversations, a substantial proportion (41.1%) could not recall any sexuality-related guidance from their parents. This finding supports the work of Chandra-Mouli et al. (2018), which indicates that sexuality education at home is often unstructured and sporadic in sub-Saharan Africa. The lack of systematic communication about sexual health may explain why many adolescents turn to peers and other non-parental sources for information. In terms of openness to discussion, only 13.1% of respondents felt comfortable discussing sexual matters with both parents, while over one-third (34.5%) were not comfortable discussing such issues with either parent. This limited communication pattern between adolescents and parents has been documented in Nigerian contexts, where cultural taboos and generational attitudes inhibit open dialogue about sexual matters (Ajayi et al., 2021; Ogunjimi et al., 2023).

When examining alternative sources of sexual information, peers emerged as the most common source (47.6%), followed by AI-based platforms (22.6%) and social media (15.5%). Reliance on friends is consistent with adolescent developmental patterns, where peer influence is strong (UNESCO, 2021). However, the significant role of AI as an information source is a relatively new finding in Nigerian sexuality education research and reflects the increasing penetration of digital technologies into adolescent life. While these tools may offer opportunities for accurate information dissemination, they also raise concerns about exposure to inaccurate or harmful content

Summarily, the findings highlight the need for more comprehensive, fact-based, and structured sexuality education, starting within the home and reinforced by schools. Parents should be supported and trained to engage in open, age-appropriate conversations with their children about sexual and reproductive health. Given the growing role of digital platforms and AI in adolescent information-seeking, interventions should also focus on guiding young people toward credible online resources while promoting critical evaluation of information.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights significant gaps in the content, delivery, and accessibility of sexuality education among newly admitted university students in Ekiti State. While parents remain an important potential source of sexual health information, the education they provide is largely moralistic, sporadic, and lacking in factual detail about human anatomy, reproductive health, and safe sexual practices. Consequently, many adolescents turn to peers, digital media, and artificial intelligence for sexual information, which may expose them to misinformation.

LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY

This study has some limitations: the sample size was small and from a single university, which makes it challenging to generalize the findings to the entire state. The data were self-reported, which may introduce recall bias but the anonymous survey design and the consistency of our findings with existing literature mitigate these concerns, ensuring that the findings remain robust and valid.

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