RESUMO
A 50 question survey was administered to 362 junior high school students in order to determine the level of sexual education. The objectives were to determine the themes of most interest to the students, to establish the precise participation of the school in sexual education, to define quality in teachers and to find possible differences in knowledge and attitudes according to school grade and sex. As expected, age but not sex, differed according to grades. Parents participated in the sexual education in their children in 50% of the sample; the high level of education of the majority of this group of parents will permit the development of additional programs for their participation in school related programs for sexual education. Sexual attitudes among students did not differ according to school grade. The percentage of responses about sexuality and reproduction that corresponded to materials in the curriculum was low; eighth grade students showed superior knowledge about theory, ninth grade students were superior in knowledge of more practical aspects. The principal sources of sexual education in this group were parents and teachers, 81% of the students reported having received some sexual education in the school, 51.4% as part of natural sciences course material and 12% as part of the eight grade course in social and human relations. We suggest a strategy of presenting progressively more complex materials of sexual education by grade in order to influence not only sexual attitudes but preventive sexual practices as well.
