ABSTRACT
Teenage pregnancy is a cause for concern for stakeholders in all Nigerian schools. The Education Management Information System (EMIS) reported 51 pregnancies out of 1000 female learners between the 2004 and 2008 school calendars. Teenage pregnancy creates a serious problem to stakeholders who are not trained to deal with the behaviours of pregnant learners in schools.
The aim of this study was to examine the stakeholders’ attitudes towards teenage pregnancy in selected schools around Uzo- uwani schools in Uzo- uwani local government Area. In addition, the study sought to establish whether stakeholders’ attitudes on teenage pregnancy have a direct impact on their behaviour and performance standards. Data was collected using in-depth interviews to allow the researcher to ask questions and to explore the attitudes of stakeholders on teenage pregnancy. Data was then analysed using thematic analysis from that which emerged from the study. The study revealed that most stakeholders have negative attitudes on teenage pregnancy in schools. Data revealed that stakeholders are not properly trained to deal with pregnant learners.
The study also revealed that teenage pregnancy has an impact on the performance standards of stakeholders in schools. The performance of stakeholders is affected because it becomes difficult to deal with pregnant learners, i.e. giving them individual attention. Data further reveals that peer pressure is the main driving factor that contributes to teenage pregnancy. These findings affirm that teenage pregnancy is a serious issue that needs the attention of various stakeholders in the community at large. In a schooling context, teenage pregnancy is a cause for concern for stakeholders who are not trained to deal with changing behaviours of pregnant teenagers at school.
The study recommended that life skills programmes should be improved in schools to reduce the rate of teenage pregnancy. Moreover, more focus should be placed on sexual education in schools.
CHAPTER ONE
Introduction
One of the major concerns in high schools within the Uzo- uwani local government Area is the high rate of teenage pregnancy. Central to this, is the view that teenagers involve themselves in sexual relations and activities without considering the consequences of their actions and without application of contraceptives as a form of protection, thus increasing the rate of pregnancy in the Uzo- uwani local government Area. This has promoted the need to address the scourge of the teenage pregnancy thus the need for this study. Against this backdrop, this chapter provides an overview of the entire study. Specifically, the following areas, including the background of the study, research problem statement, research questions, and the corresponding research objectives are provided in this chapter. Moreover, this chapter provides the significance of the study and the preliminary literature review and, subsequently, the research design and methods adopted by this research study. Finally, the limitations of the study and key terms and definitions are elucidated in this introductory chapter. The next section presents the background of the study.
Background of the study
In Nigeria, there are laws regarding teenage pregnancy. For example, the Constitution of Nigeria of 1996 forbids discrimination based on sex, gender, or sexual bearing. Constitutionally, gender equality is the core of law-making and policy in all spheres. The Schools Act no.84, Chapter 2,4(1) indicate that the Head of Department (HoD) may discharge a learner completely, partly, or conditionally from attending school only if it is of the learner’s best interest. The Constitution of 1996 stipulates the right to education for all, including expectant mothers. Section 27 of the Constitution further affords pregnant learners the right to attend school until they are unfit to attend. They are allowed to continue with their studies after a certain period of time after giving birth. To respond to the problem of teenage pregnancy, the documents on ‘Measures for the prevention and management of learner pregnancy’ (DOE, 2007:1), was published. This document aimed at exercising the rights and responsibilities of schools, teachers, and learners, fusing on the prevention of teenage pregnancy. The objective of the document is to educate learners and stakeholders to understand and exercise their rights and responsibilities with regard to a healthy lifestyle (DOE 2007:1).
Research problem statement
The high rate of teenage pregnancy in the schools of the Uzo- uwani local government Area remains a colossal concern. With the large number of teenage pregnancies in schools, the Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy (2007) was promulgated to guide teachers and learners on how to deal with teenage pregnancy in schools. Nigerian law stipulates that every child has a right to education and cannot be denied access to schooling because of pregnancy. The problem concerns different stakeholders within the community, including parents, learners, and stakeholders. With the latter, the concern is the negative attitudes of stakeholders towards teenage pregnancy. According to the 2013 Country Progress Report, Nigeria, 4, 2 % of teenagers could not attend school because of pregnancy (DOE, 2013:20). Most studies focused on how stakeholders treat pregnant teenagers and the negative impacts of teenage pregnancy. As such, this study examined the attitudes of stakeholders towards teenage pregnancy in schools of Uzo- uwani local government Area.
Research objectives
The main research objective of the study is as follows:
To examine stakeholders’ attitudes of teenage pregnancy in selected schools around Uzo- uwani local government Area.
The following are sub-objectives of the study:
• To examine stakeholders’ attitudes and attitudes towards teenage pregnancy in selected schools around Uzo- uwani local government Area.
• To determine whether stakeholders’ attitudes of teenage pregnancy have direct impact on their behaviour performance standards and subjective norms.
• To identify factors that contributes to teenage pregnancy in the selected schools around Uzo- uwani local government Area.
• To evaluate the measures and strategies in place to prevent teenage pregnancy in schools around Uzo- uwani local government Area and to enable teachers to cope with teenage pregnancies.
• To recommend strategic interventions that can be adopted to enhance educational programmes on teenage pregnancy.
1.5. Research questions
For a researcher to address the research objectives of the study, the following research questions were formulated. The main research question of this research study is as follows:
What are the stakeholder’s attitudes and attitudes on teenage pregnancy in selected schools around the Uzo- uwani local government Area?
Linked to the main research question are the following sub-questions of this study:
• How do stakeholders perceive teenage pregnancy in schools around the Uzo- uwani local government Area?
• To what extent is stakeholders’attitudes on teenage pregnancy having an impact on their behaviour performance standards and subjective norms?
• What are factors contributing to teenage pregnancy in schools around Uzo- uwani local government Area?
• What educational policy measures and strategies are in place to enable teachers cope with teenage pregnancies in schools?
• What future strategic interventions can be adopted to enhance educational programmes on teenage pregnancy?
Significance of the study
Statistics from schools around the Uzo- uwani local government Area show that the rate of teenage pregnancy is increasing at an alarming rate. Statistics indicated that 172 learners were pregnant, as reported in the Uzo- uwani local government Area report quarter 1-3 2023. The statistics emphasize the prominence of looking for an understanding of the stakeholder’s attitudes, emotional state, and attitudes concerning teenage pregnancy and the execution of policies pertaining to teenage pregnancy in schools. This requires immediate intervention and programme of actions that could reduce teenage pregnancy and change the stakeholders ‘attitudes of teenage pregnancy, thus this underlying research study. The next section presents a preliminary literature review on the attitudes of stakeholders on teenage pregnancy.
1.9 Limitations of the study
There were some limitations that delayed the data collection process for this study. Interviewing stakeholders during quarterly examinations time forced stakeholders to reschedule their appointments because they were invigilating. Furthermore, some stakeholders had no transport to take them home after school hours as per our appointment. This was caused by the fact they are sharing transport with other stakeholders. However, these limitations were overcome by allowing them to reschedule their appointments, and organising transport to take them home after the interviews.
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