The effects of teenage pregnancy on the behaviour of learners at secondary schools in the Mankweng area, Limpopo

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the educators‟ perceptions of the effects of teenage pregnancy on the behaviour of secondary school learners in Mankweng area, Limpopo province. The study sought to establish whether teenage pregnancy has an effect on school attendance, school performance and emotional behaviour of pregnant learners as perceived by educators. Fourteen educators from seven secondary schools in Mankweng area were purposively sampled for the study. Data was collected using in-depth interviews to allow the researcher a platform to ask open-response questions and to explore the educators‟ perspectives about the effects of teenage pregnancy. The data was analysed thematically by carefully identifying and expanding significant themes that emerged from the informants‟ perceptions about the effects of teenage pregnancy. The study revealed that teenage pregnancy has a negative or detrimental effect on the school attendance, academic performance, emotional behaviour and relationships between pregnant teenagers, their peers and educators. The study recommends that sex education should be taken seriously in secondary schools; educators should liaise with health professionals in the community; pregnant learners to be supported and not humiliated or stigmatized by school stakeholders; educators to encourage teenagers to use preventative and protective measures and to encourage learners to delay engaging in sexual relationships.