THE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS’ PERCEPTION ON

IMPLEMENTING SEX EDUCATION AND THEIR LEVEL OF

AWARENESS IN NEGROS ORIENTAL HIGH SCHOOL SY 2023-2024

A RESEARCH PAPER
Presented to
The Faculty of the Senior High School
NEGROS ORIENTAL HIGH SCHOOL
Dumaguete City

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements of the Subject
PRACTICAL RESEARCH II

Tingcang, Vana Grace D. Obena, Jorren

Fonollera, Feonah Mae E. Sabello, Jenevive
Aga-ab, Wisha Keth Pirater, Danilo
Teves, Matt Russel Bansiloy, John Steven C.
Baldado, Rea Reza Mae Obligado, Priseela

May 2024
 CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING

Background of the Study

Coitus, commonly known as sexual intercourse, is defined as the penetration of

the penis into a vagina which is known as vaginal coitus. However, coitus does not only

refer to vaginal penetration but also utilized in other description of sexual intercourse.

This includes femoral coitus which is the insertion of the penis in between the thighs,

oral coitus or oral sex, mammary coitus which is the insertion of penis between the

bosom, and lastly, anal coitus wherein the penis is inserted into the rectum (Jones &

Lopez, 2014). (Jones & Lopez, 2014). Sex has been considered a taboo topic among

the citizens of the Philippines until today. Since Philippines is a conservative country,

most often than not, people avoid talking about any topics that can be related to human

intercourse. Sex is often associated with a sensitive connotation since most Filipinos

are devoted Christians therefore discourse about sex and sexuality are considered to be

highly unfitting and sinful towards adolescents (Yamat, et. al, 2023). In the society, sex

should not be talked about in front of many people because it is regarded as private and

sensitive. In the context of Christianity, sex is an act only performed by individuals

bound by wedlock and thus talking about sex outside of marriage is deemed as

diabolical or morally wrong.

Moreover, Sex Education is defined as providing information about developments

of the body, sex, and sexual health (Bridges & Hauser, 2014). A comprehensive sex

education allows students to be aware of the necessary actions they need to do in order

1
to decrease and avoid sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV and AIDS.

Additionally, people would be aware of the topics about human reproduction, abstinence

and contraceptives, sexual harassment prevention, and sexual orientation. When

students are equipped with the right knowledge about sexual health, they are assisted

in making the correct decisions and to have an honest and accurate information about

sex. In addition, having sex education in the school syllabus will help students to

understand the negative consequences of unprotected sex, create a healthy discussion

about intercourse, and to understand their respective bodies better.

Furthermore, it is common in the adolescent stage of a person that he or she is

curious about exploring his or her sexuality because they are in the stage of finding out

their true selves. The youth need proper guidance to help them navigate their sexuality

and their journey in life. Without proper education about sex, the youth may be at risk of

being exposed to unhealthy and unsafe sexual practices that may cause sexually

transmitted diseases and increase the rate of unwanted pregnancy or teenage

pregnancy. In the country of Ghana, study shows that two out of 10 girls become a

mother to their first-born child before they reach the age of legality which is 18 years old

(UNICEF, 2021). In Chad, the total amount of childbirths per 1,000 adolescent women in

the country was 138 in 2021. The rudimentary influences behind this growing issue and

problem in the country of Chad is the overwhelming poverty experienced by the citizens,

lack of proper education, and access to needed healthcare (Hamid, 2023). Moreover,

according to the Philippines Orphanage Foundation (2020), almost 200,000 adolescent

girls become pregnant annually and approximately 40 of these births every year is

contributed by girls who have not reached the age of 13.

2
 In Canada, the rate of reported cases of chlamydia among females were in the

age group of 20–24-year-olds with 1812.1 cases per 100,000 females and was

succeeded by the age group of 15–19-year-olds with 1332.7 per 100,000 adolescent

girls (Public Health Agency of Canada, 2023). In the country of Australia, men are

commonly diagnosed with gonorrhea, with the generality of 174 cases per 100,00 men,

while 62 cases per 100,000 in women (Better2Know, n.d.). In the Philippines, results

showed that 35% of the age bracket of 15-24 years old (256 people) were tested

positive for HIV. Moreover, the most usual STI cases in the Philippines is gonorrhea with

52.75% increase (Moaje, 2022)

Generally speaking, sex education not only help the youth to have a sufficient

knowledge and information about sexual intercourse but also to enhance their

understanding and perception about sexual conduct and reproduction (UNESCO, et. al.,

2018). The purpose of this study is to discover the relationship between the students’

insights about implementing sex education and their level of awareness about sexual

health. This research employs a non-experimental quantitative approach specifically

correlation study and gathering data through survey questionnaires. The significance of

this investigation lies in its potential to raise awareness about healthy and safe sexual

practices while discovering the relationship between student perception and awareness.

3
Theoretical Framework

This section tackles about the underpinning theories that the researchers used in

this study to serve as a roadmap and a guide for the research process. The theories

employed in this study assists the researchers to understand the certain problem in this

study.

Theory of Reasoned Action

Another theory that the researchers used in this study is the Theory of Reasoned

Action by Martin Fishbein and Icek Azjen. The theory states that the subjected norms

and personal behavior predicts the objective of an individual to engage in the actual

behavior according to Cronce and Larimer (2013). In addition to what was already said,

Anisman and Kusnecov (2022) stated that an individual’s intent to act on making health

changes is determined through two things which is the attitudes towards their

engagement and the expectations that these actions will provide a positive outcome,

especially if it is viewed as acceptable in the society. Students’ perception and

awareness can be predicted according to these factors:

Attitude towards the behavior: Students may think that the action of implementing

sexual education in schools is important and relevant.

Expectations of outcomes and social norms: Students may consider that

implementing sexual education may impart knowledge and contribute to their

awareness of sexual health topics, and that this is aligned with societal norms.

4
 Considering these factors, students may have a positive perception on

implementing sexual education at schools because they consider that the

implementation will give them substantial knowledge that concerns sexual health.

Theory of Planned Behavior

The theoretical foundation of this study is from the theoretical perspective that

explains the students’ perception and attitude towards implementing sex education and

their degree of awareness about sexual matters by Icek Ajzen (1991)— the Theory of

Planned Behavior (TPB) wherein states that human actions are best presumed by their

intentions. Their intentions are, sequentially, predicted by three main factors which are

attitudes about the behavior, social norms, and perceived control (Cameron, et. al.,

2012). Students’ perception and extent of awareness are predicted by the mentioned

factors in terms of:

Attitude and behavior: When the students positively perceive implementing sex

education, assuming that it is important, they are more likely to participate with it and be

interested to have a deeper knowledge about sex. This positive behavior can increase

their level of awareness because they are more willing to learn about the said topic.

Social norms: When students notice that their peers, educators, and community

members give importance to sex education, they may feel safe in talking about sex.

This creates a safe environment for the students to feel encouraged to confer about

sexual health with an open mind.

Perceived control: When students have control of their own bodies and sexual

decisions, they have a high chance of being driven to protect their sexual health, which

5
in turn compels them to ask questions and uncover more knowledge about making

informed decisions that adds to their awareness.

These factors influence the students’ perceptions about sex education and in the

end, ultimately contributing to their degree of knowledge about sexual health. This

theory adds to the relevance of implementation of sex education especially in today’s

generation. According to Kirkendall (1964), sex education must be broadly formulated

than its existing horizon and its direction should be based on the goals towards to what

it is intended for.

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 TRA TPB

A behavior is influenced by Actions are presumed by

intentions which are their intentions predicted by
predicted by attitudes and attitudes, social norms, and
subjective norms. perceived control.

The theories suggests that an

individual’s engagement is
presumed by three factors:
attitude, norms, and control.

Students’ perception on sex

education is determined by these
factors and that their level of
awareness can be influenced by
the said factors.

Figure 1. IPO Model using Theory of Planned Behavior and Theory of Reasoned Action

This framework shows that a students’ perception on implementing sex education

and level of awareness can be influenced by factors such as their attitude and

subjective norms.

7
Statement of the Problem

This study seeks to determine the relationship between the perception of senior high

school students on implementing sex education and their level of awareness about

sexual health. Specifically, this study seeks to answer the following:

1. What is the demographic profile of students in terms of;

1.1 Age

1.2 Sex

2. What is the perception of students according to the importance and relevance of

implementing sex education?

3. What is the level of awareness of senior high school students in terms of sexual

health?

4. Is there a significant relationship between students' perceptions on implementing sex

education and their level of awareness on sexual health?

5. What is the influence of parental involvement in the perception of students on

implementing sex education?

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Statement of Hypothesis

This research study is anchored through this statement of hypotheses:

Ho: There is no significant relationship between the perceptions of HUMSS

students in grade 12 about the implementation of sex education and their level of

awareness about sexual health.

H1: There is a significant relationship between the perceptions of HUMSS

students in grade 12 about the implementation of sex education and their level of

awareness about sexual health.

Scope and Limitations

This study focuses on discovering the relationship between Senior High School

students’ perceptions on implementing sex education and their level of awareness about

sexual health as well as to provide more knowledge about sex and sexuality. The

primary subjects of this research will cover the Grade 12 Senior High School students of

Negros Oriental High School of the Academic Year 2023-2024. The scope of this study

will be limited to one hundred nineteen (119) Grade 12 students who are currently

enrolled under the academic track, specifically the Humanities and Social Sciences

(HUMSS) strand.

In addition, there are several constraints that could have possibly interfered with

the smooth process of this study. The study did not include the other strands that are

under the academic track such as Accountancy, Business, and Management (ABM) and

9
Science, Technology. Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strands, including the

Technical-Vocational and Livelihood (TVL) tracks. Additionally, the study will rely on self-

reported data from students, which may affect the generalizations of the population and

be subjected to bias. The assessment will take into account the socio-economic

backgrounds, behavior, and time of the students that may influence the outcome of the

study. Moreover, the researchers’ financial situations and behaviors may add to the

limitations of this study.

Significance of the Study

The aim of this study is to have a deeper understanding of the senior high

students’ perception about implementing sex education and their level of awareness.

The researchers conclude that this study is significant to the following:

For the Students

This study would be beneficial to students to gain awareness about sex education.

It will help learners expand their knowledge about sex and reduce the risk of

unprotected sex. This research will serve as a guide to learners on what decision they

will make. Additionally, the learners or the students would benefit through a greater

understanding of sex education. It will decrease the possibility of unprotected sex and

help learners to understand more about sexual health.

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For the Teachers

This study will allow the teachers to have better understanding and promote the

implementation of sex education to students, have an open communication about sex

education and provide information that will help the learners expand their knowledge

more about sex education. In addition, teachers will be able to communicate openly

about their thoughts on sex education and provide comprehension that the students will

learn more about.

For the Future Researchers

This study is significant for future researchers to acquire a profound knowledge

about the scientific procedure of conducting non-experimental quantitative research. By

means of this research, future researchers will be able to form new ideas and

hypotheses as well as generating a rational path that expands the topic addressed in

this study. The concepts present in this research may be corroborated by future

researchers on their own journey to creating their own study as well as contributing to

the existing body of knowledge.

Definition of Terms

Fundamental ideas in this study are operationally defined as follows:

Adolescent is defined as a child transitioning from childhood to his or her teens.

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 Awareness is defined as the state of being about sexual health topics.

Awareness is being knowledgeable about the different sexual matters which includes

reproduction, sexually transmitted diseases, and teenage pregnancy.

Educator is defined as a person who provides knowledge and information to

students; a teacher.

Parental involvement is defined as how parents educate and communicate with

their children about sexual health.

Perception is defined as the understanding and viewpoint of a student on the

relevance of implementing sex education and adding this to the school syllabus.

Perception is the interpretation and regard of students to the importance of teaching

sexual health topics in the school for the youth.

Sex is defined as the penetration of penis into the vagina; insertion of penis into

the thighs; insertion of penis into the breasts; and penetration of penis into the rectum.

Sex Education is defined as the great quality of educating and learning about a

wide range of topics related to sex and sexuality.

Sexuality is defined as the feelings, thoughts, and behavior of an individual

towards another.

Sexually Transmitted Disease also known as Sexually Transmitted Infection is

any infection, virus, or parasite that is contracted though close sexual contact.

Student is defined as a person who is currently a Grade 12 student enrolled

under the Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) track.

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 CHAPTER II

RELATED LITERATURES AND STUDIES

Review of Related Literatures and Studies

Sex Education allows students to become aware and knowledgeable individuals

about various health topics that includes reproduction, sexually transmitted disease, and

teenage pregnancy which are prevalent nowadays. This allows them to understand the

nature human being a sexual creature with desires. According to Dowshen (2018),

adolescence stage is the beginning of sexual attractions due to the hormonal changes

that occur during puberty. These transformations involve the mind and body, therefore

physical arousal may be felt by a teenager just by catching a sight of someone he or

she deems attractive.

The Concept of Sex and Gender

Sexuality is one of the foundational drives supporting an individual’s thoughts,

feelings, and behavior. However, it is still viewed as a taboo topic in the society for

private inquiry. Human sexuality is as lengthy as the human history itself with 200,000

plus years and counting as noted by Antón and Swisher (2004). Australian neurologist

Sigmund Freud is attributed as the first scientist to associate sex to healthy

development and to acknowledge humans as being sexual creatures throughout their

13
life counting childhood. Furthermore, sex and gender are often interchangeably used

terms in the society. Sex is concerned with the physical differences between humans

and is assigned during birth. An individual’s sex can be male, female, or intersex

(Newman, 2023). On the other hand, gender is the social, economic, and cultural

characteristics and opportunities affiliated by being a male or female according to the

United Nations Population Fund (2005). Men and women in most cases do not have the

equal opportunities given to each gender because of the created social norms in the

society.

The Importance of Sex Education

Sex education has numerous benefits especially to teenagers so that they will

have a better understanding on the concept of sex. According to Banerjee and Rao

(2022), comprehensive sex education is a sex education that teaches a person that

aims to provide students more knowledge, skills, behavior, and values to create a

healthy and informed choices in their lives. Sexuality education is not just the activity of

offering or gaining knowledge about sex and sexuality but it is also about understanding

sexual and reproductive rights, making healthy decisions about sexual life, and attaining

high standards of sexual health. Additionally, sexual education encompasses education

about all the aspects in sexuality including the knowledge about family, body image,

sexual orientation, and values (Collins, 2008).

As stated by Ico et. al., (2023), sex education capabilities are required to begin

early in a child’s growth and carrying out information that is appropriate for a child’s age

and stage of development. Additionally,

14
Benefits of Sex Education

Abstinence-only education towards children is proved to have no effects on the

rate at which adolescents choose to have sexual intercourse as said by Santelli et. al.

(2017). Abstinence-only education denies teenagers to venture on discovering

acceptable options excluding abstinence. Teenagers need to know about safe options

so that they can make informed decisions on their sexual decisions.

Moreover, sex education provides teenagers factual and accurate information

about risks associated with unsafe and unhealthy sexual practices. They need to be

well-aware of common sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia and gonorrhea

so that they would be encourage to use contraceptives (Boskey, 2023). Consequently,

teenagers must also be well-informed about risky behaviors that can lead to STIs,

sexual harassment and violence, and unplanned pregnancies especially if they are a

sexually active individual (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).

Meanwhile, sex education also imparts information about all sorts of sex and its

corresponding risks. Comprehensive sex education allows teenagers to know more

about vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex so that they make logical options

regarding the sexual practice they may wish to participate in (Goldfarb & Lieberman,

2021).

Sexual influences and Healthcare among Adolescents

Adolescents who are sexually active is a serious matter. Sexual behaviors of

students nowadays are increasing. Adolescence is a period of life where intimate

relationships where common, sexual activities and explore desires. However, during this

15
time of exploration, there may also be a significant number of unprotected sexual

activity and brief relationships, which raises the risk of unwanted pregnancy and

sexually transmitted infections (CDC, 2013). According to the study of Albert (2012),

parents who taught values, communicating with teens, and monitoring child’s activities

can help teens influence of a great way about sex engagement and sexual practices. By

communicating, it can help teens to act in a great manner and can control oneself.

Parents and adults are the role models that every child will follow. The role of parents

and the influence of parents to the lives of youths are widespread research findings

(Stidham-Hall et. al., 2012). Teens recognize that safe sexual practices and sexual

engagement depend heavily on the ability of peers and partners to shape sexual

behavior (Herrman, 2008). Having peer group that influenced badly can cause problems

like teenage pregnancy, having a family at an early age, and a lot of responsibilities.

Some teenagers who are sexually active is influenced mostly by their peer group.

Youth's social networks' peers have an impact on youth's decision-making in addition to

their goals, customs, and actions pertaining to reducing sexual risk social media, and

curiosity. Mass Media is also the one who influenced teenagers being sexually active

like movies, television, websites, and internet. According to the study of Brown and

Witherspoon (2002), teenagers gather information about sexual activities through social

media. Teens are also influenced by their social group or peer group in terms of being

sexually active.

Additionally, children remain undernourished and uneducated due to their

parents’ ignorance, lack of empowerment, and unawareness of their rights and health

responsibilities as specified by La Bella (2014).

16
Sexual Awareness of Teenagers

Bilton (2017) stated that sex and relationships are a huge part of many people’s

lives; in fact, none of us would be here without it. Its absence in the curriculum,

therefore, can have detrimental effects. Waller (2021) implies that this lack of discussion

often snowballs to students not knowing where to find the resources to prevent these

outcomes. According to the US Universal Declaration of Rights as cited by Avert (2012),

comprehensive sexual education is a recognized as a right for the youth because it is a

mechanism of assisting young people to shield themselves against, exploitation, abuse,

unplanned or unintended pregnancies, and sexually transmitted diseases. Furthermore,

Avert also said that sexual education intends to diminish the risks of potentially negative

aftermaths from sexual behavior, such as unwanted or unplanned pregnancies and

infection with sexually transmitted diseases.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) is defined as infections that are

disseminated from one individual to another from sexual intercourse whether vaginal,

anal, or oral, or close sexual proximity. Sexually Transmitted Diseases are also called

Sexually Transmitted Infections or STIs (Anzilotti, 2022). According to the World Health

Organization (2023), more than one million STIs are obtained every single day. It is

important to understand that STDs can affect anyone regardless of their sexual and

gender identity, age, or socio-economic backgrounds. Therefore, it is important to

acquire knowledge about common STDs and the course of action that an individual may

perform to cure the infection. Some common STDs that are widespread includes

chlamydia, pubic lice, syphilis, gonorrhea, and HIV (Felman, 2023). STIs needed to be

17
treated as soon as the infection began because it can cause long term health issues if

left unattended. The tertiary stage of syphilis can result to nervous system and

cardiovascular system damage and on the other hand, congenital syphilis may affect

infant death and serious problems (CDC, 2017). Therefore, raising awareness about

STDs is a precautionary action to administer in individuals because it has become a

necessary element in preventing transmissions of STIs and teenage pregnancy among

adolescents (Sobze, et. al., 2017).

Teenage Pregnancy Among Teenagers

According to the United Nations Children’s Fund (2008), the term teenage

pregnancy means pregnancy that occurs in girls within the age bracket of 13 to 19.

Teenage pregnancy has become a global issue among adolescent girls. It is a

widespread problem that can cause health complications on children within the age that

is presumed unhealthy or unfavorable to conceive an infant. As specified by WHO

(2019), about 21 million girls with age ranging from 15 to 19 years in evolving regions

becomes pregnant annually. Furthermore, around half of these were unintended

pregnancies and more than half resulted in the infant being aborted often under unsafe

circumstances (Darroch, et. al., 2016).

Not only does early pregnancy affect the physical health of teenage girls but it

also has harmful effects on their mental health and other aspects. Teenage pregnancy

can have long-term involvement on a girl’s psychological, physical, social, and

economic status (Mersal, et. al., 2013). It is important to recognize the detrimental

consequences of unwanted teenage pregnancy to safeguard the well-being of

teenagers especially girls.

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Parental Involvement Towards Sex Education

The way people are raised by their parents may affect or shape their own beliefs

and perspectives about certain topics. According to Hagan (2018), several parents

undervalue the importance of teaching their kids about sex. Therefore, plenty of

teenagers indicate that they have little to no communication about sex towards their

parents. However, parents have a significant role in teaching their children about sex

and wellbeing. Parents talking about sex to their children is never been easy to some of

parents. Other parents believe that talking about sex is not good because it is just very

sensitive topic to discuss about. As stated by Chainok et. al. (2018), it is necessary to

learn how communication can help parents and their children to increase safe sexual

behaviors. By parents communicating with their children about sexual matters, it can

assist children to increase their level of awareness in terms of sex. It will also aid their

children about the safety preventions for intercourse.

Moreover, parental involvement for children is significant and also parents who

are involved with their child’s education is the best predictor of their success. Educator

Armendia Dixon in 1992 wrote that student success is achieved through any forms of

parental involvement. According to the words of Nisbet (2021), a child’s education can

be strengthened by creating a supportive learning habitat. Furthermore, in accordance

to a review made by Turnbull et. al. (2008), parents have a significant role in imparting

knowledge about sex to their children because them taking a lead in informing their

children about the said topic is beneficial since they understand the needs of their

children and they can approach the matter in a way that is easy for their children to

comprehend. Additionally, children who talks to their parents about sexual topics are

19
less likely to engage in any form of sexual activity and are more responsible in their

approaches because of parental involvement (Taris, 2005). In a survey conducted by

the Princeton Survey Research Associates for The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation

in 1996 discovered the information source of children about sexual information. The

survey reported that 47% indicated that they obtain information through educators,

school nurses, and sex education classes. There is 36% for children that got their

information through their parents. Meanwhile, there is 55% of adolescent teens

regarded their parents as credible source of information, however, only 46% have talked

about birth control topic and 55% stated that they had communicated with them about

STDs. These topics were zoned where these students suggested a demand for more

information.

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Conceptual Framework

INDEPENDENT DEPENDENT
VARIABLE VARIABLE

Students’ The level of

perception in awareness of
implementing students about
Sex Education sexual health

Figure 2. The correlation between two variables is in one-directional relationship

The figure shown above presents the conceptual framework of the study. It

consists of two variables, students’ perception as an independent variable and the level

of their awareness as the dependent variable. The goal of this research study is to

discover the students’ perception on implementing sex education as well as to know

their level of awareness about sexual health. Plenty of students nowadays are already

21
engaging into romantic relationship which can also lead into intimate relationships which

involves sexual intercourse. Students’ perception about sex education indicates their

awareness about sexual health, if students have a positive perception about the

implementation of sex education, then it shows that they are knowledgeable or aware

about sexual health. This means that they know the impact or consequences when they

engage into this action such as teenage pregnancy which is an occurring problem in our

society that can also cause a higher rate of morality in our country that contributes to

the growing population and the transmittable disease like HIV and AIDS that also is a

serious problem in our society. Moreover, if students’ perceptions about sex education is

negative, then this shows that students have low awareness about sexual health. This

means that students may not know or does not have enough knowledge about sexual

health. Without proper knowledge about sexual health, this can be a serious problem

especially for students because they may enter into sexual activity without any

knowledge about its impact and consequences to their life and to our society.

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 CHAPTER III

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

This chapter tackles the methods used by the researchers to gather data from

the chosen target population. This includes the design employed for this research study,

the locale of which the study was conducted, the target population of the researchers,

the instrument used to accumulate necessary data, the procedure of this study, and the

ethics that the researchers observed throughout the data collection. Lastly, this chapter

also addresses the statistical treatment of data that the researchers performed.

Research Design

This research study used quantitative research design, mainly focusing in non-

experimental. This study also made use of the correlational technique, where the

researchers investigate the relationships between the two variables namely, the

perception of students regarding about the implementation of sex education and their

23
level of awareness in terms of sexual health in Negros Oriental High School S.Y. 2023-

2024. With the use of this study, researchers can examine and analyze the level of

correlation that exists between these two variables, giving the important information

about how students in Negros Oriental High School perspectives may connect to their

knowledge of sexual health in the given circumstances.

Research Environment

This study was conducted in Negros Oriental High School, one of the biggest

schools in the whole province. Negros Oriental High School is located at Kagawasan

Avenue, Capitol Area, Daro, Dumaguete City. It was founded in the 1st of September

1902 with Miss Rebecca E. Berry as the assigned Teacher-In-Charge, and is

considered as the second-oldest school in the province, next to Silliman University. It

was formerly known as Provincial School but was later changed to Negros Oriental High

School. Furthermore, the school began with 40 enrolled students mostly from

Dumaguete and different towns in the province of Negros Oriental (NOHS, 2023). The

school is said to be the "Home of the Achievers" as many prominent figures of the

province has studied in the school before. The estimated population of the school is

almost 5,000 combining Junior High and Senior High School students and has currently

160 teachers and personnel. Additionally, the school has an area of 2.5 hectares that is

owned by the Provincial Government. The Senior High School department is led by Mrs.

Leah Nuique, the current Officer-in-Charge. The Senior High School has a total

24
estimated number of 600 students. The Senior High School Department consists of

academic tracks and TVL tracks There are two sections of ABM, one STEM section,

three section of HUMSS, and TVL sections with each specialization, namely, CSS, BPP,

Caregiving, Hairdressing, EIM & Plumbing, Horticulture and SMAW, Arts & Design and

Sports.

Research Respondents

This study aims to identify the students’ perception on implementing sex

education and their level of awareness, therefore it is important to know their perception

their level of awareness about sexual health. The respondent of this research study are

the Grade 12 Humanities and Social Sciences (HUMSS) students in Negros Oriental

High School under the Senior High School curriculum. The researchers chose the

HUMSS strand since this strand covers an extensive scope of disciplines that explores

the inquiry and investigation of the human behavior that utilizes analytical, empirical,

and evaluative procedures of studying human conditions and societal transformations

(Bulabon & Tabanao, 2020). Additionally, HUMSS students are mainly studying human

behavior, society, and culture, which include aspects of sexual health. This makes them

a suitable group to be part of this study as they may have more knowledge and

understanding about this research study, in addition Students in this field are usually

encouraged to be open-minded which could make them more comfortable discussing

25
sensitive topics like sexual health. All of the respondents are selected through simple

random sampling of the 119 Grade 12 HUMSS students are chosen out of the

population of 171 students. In this case, the population is all 171 HUMSS, and the

sampling technique is random because each student has an equal chance of being

chosen.

Research Environment

The researcher aimed to determine whether implementing sex education would

be beneficial to students. In order to discover the results of the study, the researcher

conducted a survey through a printed questionnaire regarding the students’ perspective

on implementing sex education in the school curricula with the participation of 119

students in HUMSS Grade 12. Students in Grade 12 in every section were humbly

asked to answer the survey forms. Survey questionnaire is considered as the primary

instrument used for this study as it has the ability to gather a large amount of data from

a large-scale population. Additionally, survey questionnaires make data gathering fast

and efficient for the researchers and suitable for generating a great statistical power

needed for quantitative research. The respondents were asked to answer the

questionnaires completely according to which ones applied to them. The results of the

survey demonstrate that implementing sex education could effectively enhance

26
students' knowledge and awareness. The researchers handled the gathered information

with professionalism and confidentiality, aiming to gather valuable insights to improve

sex education practices. With the cooperation of our respondents, who diligently

answered the questionnaire, the researchers were able to collect valuable information.

The researchers treated the collected data with professionalism and confidentiality,

ensuring the integrity of the study.

Research Procedures

To conduct this research, a process must be followed to have a smooth flow of

schedule. Firstly, the researchers sent an approval letter addressed to the school

administration stating the reason of conducting the study, when will the researchers

conduct the study, the target population, and the methods that the researchers will

utilize to conduct the study. The researchers then determined the sample size needed

for the research to identify the representatives of the population.

Furthermore, the researchers began to create a Likert Scale to serve as the

instrument for gathering the essential data for the study. After the questionnaire was

made, the researchers carried out a pilot testing in order to standardized the

questionnaire. The pilot testing was done on 30 participants from the HUMSS 11C-

Eltanal. Then, the researchers collected the 30 questionnaires and coded each. The

27
Cronbach's Alpha was then computed and the results suggested that the questionnaire

passed and was standardized with a passing Cronbach's Alpha.

Moreover, the researchers began to administer the actual survey on the final

respondents through the standardized survey questionnaire. The same process was

done following the collection and coding of the questionnaires. The researchers then

created a tally on the responses of the sample size, determined the frequency, and

lastly, the weighted mean of each indicator.

Lastly, the researchers described, interpreted, analyzed, and gave conclusion

according to the results of the conducted survey. This is to determine that the goal of the

study was met as well as presenting the entire results of the research in front of the

panelists.

Ethical Considerations

When conducting this research, ethical considerations must be applied. The

researchers made sure that the identity of the participants is safe and well protected. To

ensure the confidentiality of the respondents, they were required to sign the informed

letter of consent crafted by the researchers. Personal information about the participants

is kept in private and is disclosed to anyone except for the researchers. Furthermore,

the participants publication of identities kept hidden in any research discussions that

may be relevant. Taking part in this study was purely voluntary and the participants are

permitted to withdraw from the research at any given time without forfeit.

28
Statistical Treatment of Data

This section tackles about the statistical tools employed by the researchers to

analyze and present the results of the performed gathering of data.

Mean. The researchers calculated the mean of the students’ perception,

awareness, and parental involvement of their respective parents to get a central

tendency and provide the typical value that can supply the average of the stated

variables.

Percentage. The researchers discovered the number of respondents that gave a

specific answer, especially in the respondents’ demographic profile.

Frequency. This study used frequency in order to determine how often the

respondents choose a particular indicator as well as how often a probable outcome

happens in the sample size.

General Weighted Mean. The researchers calculated the general weighted

mean of the respondents in order to get the average value of data to perform an

investigation on the sample size and to achieve a detailed estimate of each indicator.

Pearson r. The researchers determined the relationship of students’ perception

and their level of awareness through calculating the Pearson r to measure a linear

correlation between the independent and dependent variables.

3-point Likert Scale. A Likert scale was created by the researchers to identify to

what extent do the respondents agree or disagree to a distinct statement or an indicator.

29
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