POST PRIMARY-SCHOOL TEACHERS VIEW POINT ON REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND CONTRACEPTIVE PRACTICE AMONG SCHOOLGIRLS IN PORT-HARCOURT, NIGERIA

The view point of secondary school teachers on reproductive health, specifically, their attitude towards contraceptive practice among sexually active schoolgirls and general opinion on teenage pregnancy was examined. A sample survey of teachers was conducted in all the registered girls and mixed post primary schools in Port Harcourt. A substantial proportion of teachers were of the opinion that sexually active schoolgirls should not be encouraged to use contraceptives because they damage reproductive organs. A greater proportion (33.8%) of teachers was also of the opinion that schoolgirls should abstain from sex until they are married. This was closely followed by the suggestion that sexually active girls should use contraceptives (20.8%). The majority (48.3%) of teachers, however, advocated a sex education programme in the schools in order to prevent unwanted pregnancy.