Chapter 2

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

This chapter will cover related literature and studies that have been acquired from various

online, textbook, and other reading sources. The researchers' important data and background for

the current investigation will be provided by the reviewed literature and studies.

Related Literature

In the United States, the subject of sex education has long been divisive in terms of both

legislation and practice. The equitable inclusion of all young people and, consequently, their

sexual and emotional health continue to be concerned by a lack of consensus over the

implementation of sex education, its content, and its participants. In order to establish and

maintain fair access to medically accurate and socially relevant curriculum, current policy

guidelines and implementation fall short. This sociological analysis investigates the following

issues using a functionalist theory, feminist theory, and queer theory sociological framework:

Should there even be sex education programs? (2) What subjects ought to be covered in sex

education classes? (3) Who ought to be portrayed in sex education material? This scholarly

opinion asserts that the current sex education procedures in the United States are unequal and

ineffective based on their variability and lack of governmental guidance through an assessment

of the existing literature and data on the experiences of young people. According to Ann Jenkin

LaVanway, the United States must provide comprehensive sex education in all schools to

guarantee fair access, knowledge, and support for all kids. (14 December 2022).

According to Yepoyan (2014), sexuality education can be viewed as a multifaceted intervention

in various different ways, including the following: Because it deals with one of the most
delicate parts of the human experience—namely, sexuality—it is a domain that is infused with

ethical principles and judgements. In many different cultures, it is considered extremely taboo

to discuss sexuality with young people before they are married.

According to Wood (2011), it is incorrect to see education as the primary instrument in

establishing equal life chances because doing so would demand the precondition that other

effects, such as family wealth and cultural expectations, must also be equalized. In a culture that

views girls and women as being unequal to boys and men, there is little chance that schools will

be able to compensate and, as a result, equalize the life opportunities available to girls.

According to Sammon (2012), girls perform better than boys in many facets of education, hence

having the advantage of being a girl might be considered one of these benefits.

Wiley (2002) discussed abstinence-only versus abstinence-plus sexuality education ethics. He

cites abstinence-only programs' ethical issues:

First, is hiding sexual information from students ethical? Second, is it ethical to only discuss

contraceptive failure rates? Third, what are the consequences of teaching pupils that only

marriage is a legitimate sexual expression?  Fourth, is an unscientific curriculum ethical? (p.

164-165)

Wiley notes that not discussing contraception denies students vital health knowledge they may

need to make good choices. In response to the second question, health educators may utilize

"scare tactics" (e.g. smoking, drinking, drug usage), but it's crucial to provide students a balance

between contraceptive failure rate information and how to prevent failure by using

contraceptives properly. Teaching that only marriage is legitimate sexual expression is likewise
 problematic. How might such a message influence homosexual, lesbian, or non-married

students? Students from families with homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual parents are also rising.

Students receive contradicting family signals. Finally, employing a curriculum with insufficient

scientific support creates another ethical issue. Abstinence-only sex education receives federal

money, making it more accessible to schools.

Non-maleficence, beneficence, autonomy, and justice should lead to ethical investigation,

according to Wiley. He emphasizes non-maleficence and beneficence—teachers must help

students. Not giving pupils contraceptive information could damage them by withholding

lifesaving information. Abstinence is the only 100% effective method of pregnancy and STD

prevention, so offering knowledge on anything else is hazardous. A non-research-based

educational method may be damaging. Beneficence compels educators to consider the pros and

cons of various directions. Research shows that abstinence-plus programs educate kids and do

not promote sexual behavior, as detractors claim.

According to the Borgen project (2020), after 14 years, the Philippines passed the 2012 RH Act.

The statute mandated sex education for 10–19-year-olds in public schools. Health centers and

public schools received free or subsidized contraception from the Philippines. Due to rising

infant mortality, pregnancy-related deaths, and HIV/AIDS diagnoses, the government passed the

RH Act. 9% of 15–19-year-old Filipino women become pregnant. Poverty—especially

overpopulation—is linked to reproductive health ignorance. Thus, the RH Act seeks to guide

reproductive health decisions. It expands sex education and reaffirms the government's

commitment to protecting women's reproductive rights, providing family planning information,

and hiring skilled maternal health professionals in urban and rural areas of the Philippines.
 There is no doubt that media has a tremendous capacity to teach different from standard

techniques, whether through televisions or computers but excessive media use, particularly

where the content is sexually explicit skews the child’s world view, increases high risk behaviors

and alter his or her capacity for successful, sustained human relationships (Villani, 2001). The

increase change that the advent of technology brings, also increase the number of premarital sex

and its effects not only in the Philippines but also in the world. These changes should also trigger

the increase of intervention programs that gives awareness about the effects brought by early

sexual activity to the people especially the young. According to Lloyd (2005), there is an

increase number of young people to have sex before marriage most especially in many

developing countries thus premarital pregnancy rates and HIV rates are increasing. Teenage

pregnancy is a significant problem for it placed a number of the overall weight of disease due to

early childbirth. According to Chantrapanichkul et al. (2013), pregnancy carries high risk of

negative outcomes especially when the woman is at younger age. The Nationa Demographic and

Health Survey (NDHS) (2013), reveals that in the Philippines, one in ten Filipino women is

bearing a child at the age of 15 and 19 and some of them are already mothers. It also reveals that

one in five Filipino women had engaged their sexual activity not later than 18. National Youth

Assessment study (2010) showed that there is a high incidence of early sexual activity involves

the 15-17 age groups.

Review of related studies

A. Foreign
 B. Local
This study will focus on the implications of improving one aspect of education in the

Philippines, namely sexuality education, as well as the significance of a solid approach, namely

incorporating sex education into the curriculum of public schools. Education should empower

children and adults to participate actively in the transformation of their societies (Unesco, 2013).

Particularly, sexuality education should empower individuals to make informed decisions

regarding their reproductive health, such as responsible family planning, the use and availability

of contraceptives, respect for their bodies, prevention of HIV and unwanted pregnancies, to name

a few. This will eventually result in the transformation of society as a whole, beginning with the

transformation of individual communities.