Abstract
M.A.
Today's adolescents are more sexurally active than those of previous generations, hence
the high incident of early childbearing in most societies worldwide. In South Africa the
problem seems to be widespread as it occurs among all cultural and ethnic groups, in
rural, as well as in the urban arears, with teenage births constituiting 12% of the country's
births. Among lower socio-economic groups, teenage childbearing in South Africa has
been precipitated by years of disrupted schooling which has not only affected education,
but sexual behaviour as well.
In rural Venda, adolescent childbearing could be symtomatic of a breakdown of social
order. Sex education has always been of pivotal concern in the development of a
Muvenda girl. Upon reaching menarche, the girls would undergo the compulsory
pubescence ritual. vhusha. Vhusha does not seem to be surviving the influence of
modernization. This is evident from the poor attendance of this ritual, which is being
abandoned without being replaced.
There is therefore a need to develop a modern culture-friendly psychoeducationa
prom-amme for the prevention of teenage pregnancy in rural Venda. This study is aimed
at developing such a programme, and furthermore evaluate its effectiveness. The field
experiment Before and After control (Pretest-Posttest) design has been used. The
experimental intervention (a programme titled: VHUSHA), comprised sexual knowledge,
sexual attitudes and career guidance. A questionnaire was used as a measuring instrument
for the variables: sexual knowledge, sexual attitudes and future career goals awareness.
At posttest, the experimental group showed a significant improvement with regard to
sexual attitudes and future career goals awareness in comparison to the control group.
VHUSHA has therefore been effective in this regard. Findings of this study showed no
significant difference between the two groups with regard to sexual knowledge. This
minimal improvement was primarily attributed to the researcher's being part of a culture
that lacks openness in communicating sexual knowledge.