Perspectives of Ecuadorean teachers and students on the importance of addressing comprehensive sexuality education

Abstract

Building on the well-recognised relevance of alignment processes in schools, this study aimed to explore the relationship between the perspectives of teachers and students on the relative importance of addressing comprehensive sexuality education (CSE) in Ecuadorian schools. A survey of 353 teachers and 780 students attending the same schools revealed that teachers attributed greater importance to CSE compared to students. Inferential analysis suggests that the perceptions of the teachers and students on the importance of addressing CSE in school are largely aligned with regards to the dimensions of gender roles, sexual rights, diversity and relationships. In contrast, their perceptions are less aligned with regards to the dimensions of sexual health, violence and pleasure. These findings have implications for enhancing comprehensive sexuality education in Ecuadorian schools. © 2019, © 2019 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.