Factors contributing to teenage pregnancy in King Cetshwayo District Secondary Schools
Loading...
Date
2017
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Zululand
Abstract
The ever-increasing rate of teenage pregnancy has become a major societal challenge, not only in South Africa, but universally. The same applies in King Cetshwayo district in KwaZulu-Natal. Teenage pregnancy has many causes, some of which are new, like the child support grant. The results of teenage pregnancy are destructive, and long-lasting. This has given the researcher an impetus to conduct this study, and investigate as to: ∙ What the factors are that contribute to teenage pregnancy in King Cetshwayo district secondary schools?
∙ Whether there is a relationship between family background and teenage pregnancy in King Cetshwayo district?
∙ What role can be played by educators in mitigating factors contributing to teenage pregnancy in King Cetshwayo district secondary schools?
This investigation was pursued with the aim of attaining practical and relevant solutions to this societal menace of teenage pregnancy. The quantitative method involving the use of questionnaires was used to extract data from 125 learners and 25 educators selected to partake in the study in King Cetshwayo district secondary schools. The findings of the study based on the data collected through questionnaires revealed that:
∙ There are factors that contribute to teenage pregnancy in King Cetshwayo district secondary schools, some of which did not exist before.
∙ There is a relationship between family background and teenage pregnancy in King Cetshwayo district.
∙ Educators can play a crucial role in mitigating factors which contribute to teenage pregnancy in King Cetshwayo district secondary schools.
The key recommendations which emanated from this study, amongst others, were:
∙ There is a need for fully- fledged sexuality health education to be undertaken in schools.
∙ Contraceptives must be distributed in schools and learners be advised on their use.
∙ Poverty amongst the communities must be eradicated through women’s skill development and education.
∙ Peer educator programmes in schools must be resuscitated.
∙ Sexuality health campaigns must be organised in schools.
∙ Sports and cultural activities in schools must be encouraged.
∙ In-house codes of conduct to manage learner pregnancy must be developed and implemented.
Description
A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Education in fulfilment of the requirements of the Degree of Master Of Education (M.Ed.) in the Department of Comparative and Science Education at the University of Zululand, 2017
Keywords
teenage pregnancies --causes --South Africa