By Vhothusa Edward Matahela and Azwihangwisi Helen Mavhandu-Mudzusi

Young people in rural Limpopo, the South African province bordering Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique, face high risks of HIV, unplanned pregnancy, and other societal challenges.

One reason is that they aren’t always getting sexuality education that connects with their lived realities. Schools provide lessons on reproduction, HIV prevention and relationships. But too often, what’s taught in class doesn’t match what learners are experiencing outside, leading to unsafe sexual practices.

We are part of the University of South Africa community engagement project focusing on HIV prevention among learners in Limpopo province. To understand the gaps, we ran a three-day workshop with 19 teachers (16 of them women) from rural schools near Musina. This border town is on a busy trade route, where high mobility, transactional sex and the risk of trafficking shape the everyday lives of learners.

Our goal was to hear directly from teachers about how they navigate sexuality education and to explore ways to make it more effective.

Talking about sex at school

The 19 teachers came from eight public primary and secondary schools. They all taught the Life Orientation curriculum, a mandatory subject in South African schools, which covers life skills, sexuality education and HIV prevention for learners from grades 4 to 12 (ages 9 to 18). It covers topics such as health and well-being, including sexuality education. Teachers are expected to deliver these lessons in an age-appropriate, participatory way.

Teachers told us they often struggle with this part of the curriculum. Talking about sex in the classroom is not straightforward. Some learners giggle, others stay silent, and some challenge the teacher’s authority. Teachers admitted that their own discomfort, shaped by cultural and religious beliefs, sometimes made it even harder to engage openly.

What the teachers said

During the workshop, teachers spoke candidly about the barriers they face.

• Cultural and religious taboos: Many communities expect adults, especially women, not to discuss sex openly. Teachers worried about being judged by parents or community leaders if they spoke too frankly with learners. They are held back by cultural taboos, personal discomfort, and local realities – like families depending on relationships between girls and older men.

Traditional beliefs and stigma surrounding HIV in Limpopo make it hard for teachers, parents, and learners to talk openly about prevention. Educators teaching Life Orientation are sometimes referred to as thitshere wa u funza zwavhudzimu – “the teacher who teaches forbidden topics”. This silence allows myths and misunderstandings to persist.

• Limited training and resource constraints: Teachers said they had not received sufficient preparation for teaching sexuality education. Some relied only on textbooks, which they felt did not address the realities learners face, such as early sexual debut, peer pressure, or access to social media.

Teachers often feel alone. Some said they had not received enough training or materials to teach about HIV, sexual health, or sensitive issues. Sexuality is still seen as a private matter in this cultural context.

When we were brought up, it was taboo to talk about sexuality with kids. Some parents think we’re teaching forbidden things.

Some teachers have over 60 learners in a class, making it hard to give everyone attention. And, with learners speaking different languages, some important messages get lost.

Videos, posters and teaching aids are rare. Teachers have to rely mostly on talking, which does not always work for difficult topics such as sexuality.

Despite these challenges, teachers also shared how they try to adapt. Some use storytelling, role play, or small group discussions to make learners more comfortable. Others bring in health professionals to talk about sensitive topics. These approaches, despite the challenges, can make lessons more engaging while respecting local norms and working with limited resources.

What teachers can do differently

During our workshops, teachers discussed what they believed would be effective ways to deliver culturally relevant sexuality education in rural schools.

1.) Small group discussions: Teachers felt that learners are more comfortable sharing in small groups.

Learners open up more and learn from each other.

2.) Drama and role play: They suggested that acting out real-life situations, such as handling peer pressure or supporting a friend with HIV, could make lessons more real and memorable.

3.) Using videos: Short, simple videos made by the experts about HIV and relationships would help explain tough topics.

4.) Demonstrations: They saw value in showing, not just telling, how to use condoms (male and female), for example, to build practical skills.

5.) Storytelling and case studies: Teachers believed that sharing stories, whether true or made up, would help learners connect lessons to their own lives.

Children remember stories better. They see themselves or their families in them.

6.) Peer teaching and games: They recommended letting learners or other teachers lead parts of the lesson, and using local games and songs to keep things fun and engaging.

These suggestions by the teachers match approaches used in successful sexuality education programmes in South Africa and beyond.

Overall, the teachers’ ideas reflect proven strategies from other successful programmes and could be highly effective if adapted for rural Limpopo.

What teachers need

The Department of Basic Education reports that Life Orientation teachers receive sexuality education content during initial teacher training. The department has also developed scripted lesson plans to improve teacher confidence and curriculum consistency. In-service training is offered sporadically through workshops linked to the Life Skills and HIV/AIDS Education Programme, but these sessions are not consistently available across all provinces, creating gaps in teacher preparedness.

Studies highlight that many Life Orientation teachers still feel under-prepared, especially when dealing with learners’ trauma or sexual violence. Many teachers rely on self-study, peer networks, and NGO-supported programmes to strengthen their skills in sexuality education.

The teachers we spoke to wanted to know more about HIV, sexual health and new treatments. They needed to know how to support children who might not fit traditional gender roles. They asked for training in how to counsel and support learners facing problems. And they called for support from other teachers, principals, and the community.

Workshops like ours can help teachers build confidence, share strategies, and support each other. The teachers told us they valued the space to reflect on their own beliefs and to practise new approaches.

What’s clear is that teachers cannot carry the burden alone. Training programmes must equip them with practical tools, not just theory. Parents, community leaders and health workers need to be engaged too, so that sexuality education is reinforced beyond the classroom.

We’ll also be tracking how these methods affect learners’ knowledge, attitudes and behaviour over time.

Vhothusa Edward Matahela is Associate Professor: Health Sciences Education, University of South Africa, and Azwihangwisi Helen Mavhandu-Mudzusi is Professor, University of South Africa.

The Conversation