ABSTRACT
This survey was part of the first systematic large-scale assessment on the practice of sexuality education in Flanders. A representative sample of 400 secondary schools was drawn from a total of 1,050 schools. A positive view toward school-based sexuality education was found for both school principals and teachers. However, time devoted to sexuality education is too restricted, and teaching strategies are too verbal to expect changes in attitude and behavior with regard to contraception and AIDS prevention. Next to the low popularity of active teaching methods, ignorance of the discrepancy between goals set and methods used, and the low value attached to improving the skills of students in using contraceptives, were critical findings. Rather than increasing instruction time, discussion of the relationship among goals, methods, and training in the use of active methods would be more beneficial to improving sexuality education in Flanders.
