CHAPTER ONE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
The secondary school is the unit of Nigeria’s formal education institution, which covers the period of later childhood through adolescent. During this period, the child experiences accelerated rate of development in secondary sex attributes.
These include broken voice, natural emission in boy and enlarged breast in girls; armpit and public hairs in boys and girls and the development of heterosexual interests, coupled with this, is elongated and expansion of penis, enlargement of testis and other primary sex organs (New Jersey, 1980).
The Secondary School age or adolescent stage is the period of identifying oneself to a total person. It is the period or stage in which the individual adolescent asks questions about themselves. The search for answers involves much explanation, question and seeking supportive figures. Peers are mostly the supporter because they are the ones with whom the lines of communication are most open. Parental influence therefore, may seem to be minimal while peers influence is stronger.
1.2 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
According to history, sexual activities have served as means of expressing some mankind’s best and worst emotion (Read and Greene, 1975)
A cursory review of human activities extending from the beginning of recorded history throughout the Dark Age and renaissance reveals the instances of Rape, adultery and illegitimacy (Greene, 1975)
The situation has not changed much in contemporary time. Efforts are however being made  by health education experts, religious leaders, youth clubs and organisation to bring a positive attitude change in people education of children and youths about their sexually and appropriate sex roles.
The sex life of Senior Secondary School (SSS) students poses a social problem which society has ignored primarily because it has workable and acceptable answer (Grauley Stewart Diaz 1973).
The youths of this generation have more opportunity than ever before to indulge sexual intercourse because three controlling fears of the past, social disgrace, venereal disease, unwanted pregnancy have been reduced by breakthrough in medicine and related discipline. Also diversified job opportunities enable parents to travel great distance for better career and recreation. This reduced the effectiveness of family and community supervision of the adolescent (Grauley et al 1973).
Apart from social disapproval of adolescent sexual later experimentation, there are serious health related problems. These include exposure to venereal diseases and its medical consequence due to delayed and appropriate treatment, prostitution, abortion, by quacks, the use of questionable method of birth control and finally premature termination of education which increased social liabilities.
There are efforts to deal openly and constructively with these sex related problems some of which is that, children should know about venereal disease by the time they reach the age of puberty. Information of this kind should be linked with advice on the value of self-restrain and should stress the idealistic views of the union of man and woman in marriage. Also proper understanding and appropriate sex education will be remedy to teenage pregnancies in Nigeria.
The present generation of Nigeria Secondary School Student are much more younger than those of the last decade, this is due to new innovation in Nigeria education as well as the awareness and concern of parents in sending their children to school at a much tender age.
Although, they are younger in chronological age, they mature much earlier than predecessors. This was attributed to better nutrition, improved standard of living and health care services. In order to be of assistance to the adolescent in adjusting to the demand of the society in sex, there is need for a thorough understanding of the adolescents especially with respect to their attitudes of sex.
The parent and communities attitude towards sexually or sexual behaviour was that of comparison between their own generation and that of the present generation of the youths.
Assumptions and speculative reports about Senior Secondary Student’s sexual attitudes are inconsistent regarding changes in students’ sexual attitudes. For instance, it is generally assumed that there has been a great increase in numbers of active Secondary Schools in the recent past. But is it really the case?
This and related questions are what the study is set  about to investigate and come out with the correct data related to Senior Secondary School Student sex attitudes in the recent years.