Approaches to delivering contextual and culturally relevant sexuality education: insights from educators in rural schools in Limpopo Province, South Africa

Sexuality education in rural South African schools encounters significant challenges, including limited resources, socio-cultural barriers, and lack of contextual relevance. This study explored culturally relevant, contextualised approaches to delivering sexuality education in rural schools using a qualitative design. Data were collected using participatory action research during a three-day workshop with 19 educators from the Soutpansberg North Circuit in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The workshop, guided by the UN Technical Guidance on Sexuality Education and the training cycle competency framework, sought to facilitate open dialogue and interactive engagement. Group discussions were documented using flip charts, photographs, and audiovisual recordings. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Three main themes were developed: educators’ learning needs; barriers to effective sexuality education; and strategies for delivering contextually and culturally relevant instruction. Findings highlight the importance of empowering educators with context-sensitive approaches to sexuality education to bridge the gap between formal curricula and the everyday experiences and realities of rural learners.