Attitudes of parents, students, ex-pregnant school girls and administrators on the expulsion of pregnant girls from schools: a case study of selected areas in Dar es salaam and Mbeya region

This research aimed at finding out attitudes of parents students, ex-pregnant girls, teachers and administrators on the expulsion of pregnant school girls. The purpose of this study was to assess the differences in perceptions of the parents of different educational levels, religion, sex and age as well as differences between urban and rural areas on the issue of expulsion of pregnant girls from schools. The study examined different views among teachers, administrators, policy makers, parents and students on the expulsion of pregnant girls from schools. Expulsion of pregnant school girls was viewed as a problem mainly because whereas society tolerates out of wedlock pregnant girls by no longer turning them away from their parents' homes, the school expels them. There is a discrepancy between the ideal and the actual practice of societal sexual norms. The study was carried out by administering questionnaires to 359 respondents. The number included 180 students, 100 parents, 64 teachers and administrators and 15 ex-pregnant school girls. Documentary data were also utilized in the literature review and in the formulation of the hypotheses. Interviews supplemented questionnaires. The findings revealed that parents, pupils, ex-pregnant girls, teachers and administrators would like pregnant school girls to continue schooling. Parents attitudes do not vary according to age, education, religion or sex. The majority of old and young, educated and less educated, male and female parents of all religions advocated for change on the expulsion of pregnant school girls. Parents have realised that most of the traditional customs are obsolete in the present society. However rural parents were positive to the expulsion of pregnant school girls than urban parents. The findings revealed that boys were more negative to the expulsion of pregnant girls than girls (75 percent and 50 percent respectively). Male administrators were also more negative to the expulsion of pregnant girls than female administrators (60.6 percent and 45.2 percent respectively). All respondents accepted the introduction of sex-education in schools and they all rejected to the idea of school girls getting married while still in school. On the basis of the findings recommendations were drawn which could help in overcoming the problem of school girl pregnancies and recommendations for further research were given, The recommendations given include the introduction of sex-education in school, abolishing the regulation on the expulsion of pregnant girls from schools, introduction of contraceptives and allowing girls to take maternity leave and continue with school thereafter.