Exploration on the problem of teenage pregnancy and the potential educational pathways for pregnant teenagers and teenage mothers

The study examined factors contributing to teenage pregnancies and identified educational attainment pathways for pregnant girls and teenage mothers. The study used mixed approach and embedded study design, employing questionnaires, interviews and documentary data collection instruments. The study included 267 female secondary school students, 4 parents, 4 teachers, 4 heads of schools, 2 teenage mothers (former secondary school students) and 1 DEO making a total of 278 participants. Purposeful, stratified random, convenient and snowball sampling were used to select students, teachers, parents, and teenage mothers. The findings show that the major factors contributing to the occurrence of teenage pregnancy were customs, sexual abuse and rape, socio-economic background, child rearing and family structure and faith. The findings also indicated that respondents’ viewed education for pregnant girls, the expulsion rule and punishment and child rights as the major issues regarding education for teenage mothers. The results furthermore, showed that the majority of respondents are aware of the existing educational alternative systems for pregnant girls and teenage mothers and the alternatives identified were the technical and vocational education and training, qualifying tests, private schools, adult education and private candidacy. Finally the results pointed out that issues hindering continuation with education for pregnant girls and teenage mothers and the alternatives identified were the technical and vocational education and training, qualifying tests, private schools, adult education and private candidacy. Finally the results pointed out that issues hindering continuation with education for pregnancy were early marriage, sexual abuse and rape; poverty; long distance; low education level; poor parenting; parents being too busy; and peer pressure. The study concluded that the expulsion and jailing rules were considered outdated, discriminative, creating uneducated citizens and cycle of poverty. Furthermore, education is the right of all children and pregnant girls are also students. The study also concluded that technical vocational education and training, qualifying tests, private schools, adult education and private candidacy were potential educational alternatives for teenage mothers whereas the jail sentences, the expulsion rule, poverty, rejection by family, parenting responsibilities, and stigmatization, discrimination and shame were the factors hindering continuation with education for teenage mothers. From the findings it is recommended to use the existing alternative education pathways for teenage mothers to attain their education dreams. Also it is recommended that sexual education should be effectively provided for primary and secondary schools. Lastly, it is recommended that some laws and traditions supporting early marriage need be changed for teenage female students in government secondary schools to be assured of completing their education without encountering pregnancies.