A literature review of South African schools for the blind and their use of educational sexual models in comprehensive sexuality education

Abstract

Internationally, educational sexual models (ESMs) have been gradually incorporated within comprehensive sex education (CSE) in schools for the blind (SFB). However, there is limited evidence that this has been taking place in South African SFB. The review sought to establish how these models are perceived by teachers and whether South African teachers receive any training or exposure to use these models during their teacher education. The review not only established that limited training and exposure is taking place, but that teachers state that they need these models but feel constrained by parental censorship. This meant that crucial information was lacking from these lessons (e.g., a real-life demonstration of the difference between an erect versus a flaccid penis). The review suggests that teachers need to be capacitated with appropriate pedagogy, competencies, and resources to respond to controversial areas of teaching and learning, such as the place of ESMs in CSE lessons.