A quantitative and descriptive type of study design was followed using structured selfadministered
questionnaires distributed among 84 conveniently selected male
adolescent learners from Nanogang Community Junior Secondary School (NCJSS) in
Gaborone. The purpose of this study was to describe factors that influence the uptake
of safe male circumcision (SMC) as a human immune-deficiency virus (HIV) prevention
strategy among male adolescent learners. The study findings show that protection from
HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) was found to be the main reason
for adolescent learners undergoing male circumcision (MC) (p<.01). Reasons such as
maintenance of genital hygiene, culture, religion, and the enhancement of sexual
pleasure were not found to be significant factors. Misconceptions such as the belief that
girls do not like circumcised partners were found to be the main reason for adolescent
learners not undergoing MC (p<.05). A number of factors which were claimed in
previous studies to be obstacles for the uptake of MC, such as surgical complications,
peer pressure, stigma, and discrimination, were not found to be major obstacles.