SEX EDUCATION IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA: AN EXAMINATION OF HOW SEX EDUCATION CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION AMAL MOHAMMED BANUNNAH FACULTY OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD SEPTEMBER 2018 1 2 SEX EDUCATION IN THE KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA: AN EXAMINATION OF HOW SEX EDUCATION CAN BE IMPLEMENTED IN EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION by AMAL MOHAMMED BANUNNAH THESIS SUBMITTED IN FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (PhD) September 2018 FACULTY OF EDUCATION UNIVERSITY OF SHEFFIELD UK 3 ABSTRACT Sex education is an important topic for young children’s development, values and protection. There is a significant need for sex education in the pre-school curriculum in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), a country whose culture is strongly based on conservative traditions and the Islamic religion. This research therefore investigates the importance of sex education for young children, appropriate sex education topics for children, and the approaches by which it could be implemented in the pre-school curriculum in the Saudi educational system. A mixed methods approach was used to collect the data from pre-school teachers via a questionnaire, and from supervisors and specialists through semi-structured interviews. The participants included 2,681 pre- school teachers surveyed in educational centres across 45 educational districts in the KSA, followed by interviews with pre-school supervisors and eight specialists from various sectors. The findings from both the interviews and surveys indicate that the majority of participants had strongly positive attitudes towards the importance of sex education for young children in the Saudi society. Influencing factors included the conservative culture, lack of knowledge and sex education resources, and the impacts of globalisation and the media. The findings of this study suggest six key appropriate sex education topics that could be implemented in the pre-school curriculum. These are: relationships, body and gender, life cycles, health and hygiene, feelings and attitudes, and keeping safe. It further explains how the suggested topics could be implemented in the pre-school curriculum. This study is unique in this field because it presents findings that discuss the implementation of sex education for young children, which is a sensitive topic in most countries worldwide. Although this is a critical issue for people living in the conservative Saudi culture, traditional interpretations of Islam may prevent the development of sex education. Through careful consideration of the data, recommendations are made for policy makers, teachers, and parents, as well as suggestions for potential future research. This study will assist parents and educators to determine appropriate ways to approach sex education and child protection. The study is of significant interest to those involved in childcare and provides some ideas to inform policy, practice, and future research. ii DEDICATION I would like to dedicate my thesis to my beloved grandfather, Abdul-Aziz (God have mercy on him), who wished for me to obtain a Doctorate, and to everyone who I have met in my life who have showed me how we can all achieve the goals that we cherish and aspire towards through our kindness, patience and determination. iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to convey my gratitude to the following individuals for their motivation and inspiration to conduct this study. I would like to express my deepest thanks to Umm Al-Qura University in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for providing me with this opportunity to engage in these studies and granting me a scholarship to conduct this research at the University of Sheffield. I also extend my gratitude to the Saudi Arabia Cultural Bureau in London for their support during my studies. I would also like to extend my grateful appreciation to the Ministry of Education in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for giving me permission to do this study, and to all the pre-school teachers, supervisors and specialists who took part. This study would not have been possible without their participation and cooperation. Many thanks to my supervisor, Professor Elizabeth Wood, in the Faculty of Education, the University of Sheffield, who guided me during my PhD journey. I would also like to thank all the members of staff at the University of Sheffield. From my heart, I offer massive thanks to my wonderful family; I cannot express enough thanks to my parents, Mohammed and Hayat, for their prayers and unconditional encouragement. In particular, I would like to express my boundless thanks for their patience and support during my studies for my lovely children; Mohammed, Raghad, Omar and Bassam. They helped me through my study period and are a constant source of inspiration. Thank you to my lovely sisters: Khloud, Ohood, Azzah, Shrouq, and Horyah, and my beloved brothers Ahmad and Abdul-Aziz. Deeply special thanks goes to my lovely friend, Sarah Alwashmi, for her support in the UK. I wholeheartedly appreciate everything these people have done for me. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………….…….…..…….ii DEDICATION…………………………...…………………………………..…...……iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………...…..………….…….iv TABLE OF CONTENTS…….…....………………………….…...…………….…......v LIST OF TABLES…………………………….……….……………………..……...…x LIST OF FIGURES……….….……………………………………………..……...….xi LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS………………….……………………………....……..xii CHAPTER 1: Introduction………………..……………………………..1 1.1 Introduction………………………….………..…..….……………..……………1 1.2 Background to study context………..………………….…………..…….……...1 1.3 Aims and objectives of the study………………………..…………...……..…. 10 1.4 Research questions……………………………………….……………….…….11 1.5 Terminology…………………………….…...……….……………..…..............12 1.6 Rationale and significance of this research…………………………………….13 1.7 Personal motivation and interest…………………….….………………....……15 1.8 Structure of the study……………………...………………….…………...……17 CHAPTER 2: Educational Context in the KSA……………………….19 2.1 Introduction…...…………………………………………….………….…...…..19 2.2 The status of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia..….……………..……….…..……19 2.3 Pre-school educational context.…………...……...……………........………….25 2.4 Saudi Early Childhood Curriculum policies.………..……………….…………30 2.5 Chapter conclusion….………..……………….…………….……….…………36 CHAPTER 3: Literature Review…………………….…………………37 3.1 Introduction…………………..………...………...………………….…….……37 3.2 Sociocultural theory and sex education…………………………………..…….38 3.3 Sex education in Islam……………………………………………………….…42 3.4 The importance of sex education for young children…………...……..………..49 v 3.4.1 Perspectives on sex education.……….…………………………....…....49 3.4.2 Sex education and child development…..……………………....………54 3.4.3 Sex education and children’s values……………………...……….……60 3.4.4 Sex education and child protection….……………………….....………63 3.5 Appropriate sex education topics for children......................................................71 3.5.1 Sex education topics for children……………………………...…...….71 3.5.2 Sex education and the curriculum…………...…………………...……76 3.6 Provision of sex education.…………………………………………….…..……84 3.6.1 Role of teachers and their beliefs.………………………………....……84 3.6.2 Role of parents and their beliefs.……….…...…………...........…..……87 3.6.3 Role of society and prevailing beliefs...…………………..…………….93 3.7 Chapter conclusion……………...…..……...………………….………...…….100 CHAPTER 4: Methodology……………………………………………101 4.1 Introduction……………………………………..………………….………….101 4.2 Nature of the research project………………………………….…….………..102 4.2.1 Interpretive paradigm…………….…………………………….……...102 4.2.2 Mixed methods………………….……...…………………….…….….104 4.3 Research design……………………………………………….…………..…..106 4.3.1 Methods……………………………………………………….……….107 a) Structured questionnaire………………………………….…….……108 b) Semi-structured interviews………………………………….….……111 4.3.2 Translation issues………………………………………………...……112 4.3.3 Pilot study………………………………………………….…………113 4.3.4 Sample…..……...…..…………………………...……………………114 4.4 Data analysis.…………..………………………………...………….…….…..116 4.5 Coding process..…………………………………………………………….…118 4.6 Validity and reliability.………………………………………....………..….…121 4.7 Positionality……………………………………………………...…………….123 4.8 Ethical issues……………………………………………….…….…………....126 4.9 Chapter conclusion………………………...…………………………..………127 vi CHAPTER 5: Results……………………………………………….….129 5.1 Introduction……………………………………...……………..…….………..129 5.2 Results from the questionnaire.….………………………………...……..…...130 5.2.1 Participants’ general information………..…………………………....130 a) Pre-school teachers’ residential areas.………..………….…….……..131 b) Pre-school teachers’ work experience………………….……….……132 c) Current classroom level………….………………….……….……….134 5.2.2 Teachers’ responses to implementing sex education….........…...……..135 5.2.2.1 Descriptive statistics for overall responses………………..….135 5.2.2.2 Individual themes…………………………...………....….…141 5.3 Analysis of the semi-structured interview questions..………....….……......…164 5.3.1 Supervisors’ interviews……..…….…………………….……....……..164 5.3.2 Specialists’ interviews….………...…………………..……….…...…..172 5.4 Chapter conclusion………..…………...……………….……………..………186 CHAPTER 6: Discussion………………………………………………187 6.1 Introduction………………………..………….……………………….…...….187 6.2 The importance of sex education for young children….………….……..……188 6.2.1 Saudi perspectives on sex education……………..…………………...189 6.2.2 Sex education and child development.…………..……………………191 6.2.3 Sex education and children’s values…………..…………….……...…196 6.2.4 Sex education and child protection………...…………………….....…200 6.3 Appropriate sex education