Educational rights of pregnant learners and gender equality

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Statement of Purpose

The purpose of this research was to investigate the views of role-players on the Learner Pregnancy Policy (Measure for the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy Policy) (hereafter MPMLP) (DoE, 2007) and its implementation in public schools. The policy deals with the prevention of learner pregnancy, intervention in case pregnancy has occurred and the support of teachers in managing the effects of learner pregnancy in schools. This study critiqued and analysed the views of different role-players in relation to learner pregnancy in schools and the implementation of MPMLP in public schools.

Background / Introduction

Internationally, 15 million women under the age of 25 give birth yearly, representing up to one-fifth of all childbirths. It has been reported that 529,000 women die due to pregnancy and childbirth-related medical problem once a year (Dev Raj, Rabi, Amudha, Van Teijlingen & Chapman, 2010:4). Teenage pregnancy is a main worry to international societies, with the United States of America ranking at the uppermost with almost 1,000,000 learner pregnancies per annum (Williams, 2010:1).

Problem Statement

The researcher intended to investigate the views of relevant role-players on MPMLP and its implementation in public schools. MPMLP outlines a range of measures to prevent early pregnancy in learners and support teachers in managing the effects of learner pregnancy in schools. MPMLP further aims to clarify the position regarding learner pregnancies, to inform the affected learners about their right to continue access to education, to support teachers in managing the effects of learner pregnancies, create procedures and provide guidelines to be followed in cases, where prevention has failed and pregnancy has occurred.

Policies in other countries

In Namibia, a policy on learner pregnancy was introduced in 2008, seeking to address teenage pregnancy among school girls, which was seen as a barrier to the elimination of gender disparities in education and to the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals (hereafter MDG’s) regarding universal primary and gender equality in education by 2015. If a girl child becomes pregnant by a school boy child, both of them are entitled to leave, when the time of delivery comes. They are supposed to go for counselling in order to develop their sense of responsibility and accountability in the emotional, moral and financial spheres. Both the girl child and the boy child are allowed to return to school after the delivery of their child after twelve months of absence from school (Ministry of Education in Namibia, 2008).

DEDICATION
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
ABSTRACT
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION, RESEARCH PROBLEM AND METHOD
1.1 Statement of Purpose
1.2 Background / Introduction
1.3 Problem Statement
1.4 Reflections from the past and related studies
1.4.1Introduction
1.4.2 Policies in other countries
1.4.3 Policy and policy implementation
1.4.4 The policy formulation and development process
1.5 Factors that Influence the Implementation of the Learner Pregnancy Policy
1.5.1 Teachers’ knowledge of the law
1.5.2 Communication within the education system
1.6 Challenges that Role-players Encounter in the Implementation of MPMLP
1.6.1 Unrealistic expectations
1.6.2 Lack of public awareness and support
1.6.3 Inadequate resources
1.7 Research Questions
1.8 Research Aims
1.9 Rationale for the Study
1.10 Working Assumption (Hypothesis)
1.11 Research Design
1.12 Paradigm
1.13 Research Approach
1.14 Epistemology
1.15 Theoretical Framework
1.16 Research Method
1.17 Data Collection
1.17.1 Semi-structured interviews
1.17.2 Document analysis
1.17.3 Tape recording
1.18 Demarcation (Population)
1.19 Sampling
1.20 Data Analysis and Interpretation
1.21 Limitation
1.22 Trustworthiness
1.23 Ethical Consideration
1.23.1 Voluntary participation
1.23.2 Privacy / confidentiality
1.23.3 Social value / protection from harm
1.24 Significance of the Study
1.25 Conclusion
CHAPTER TWO LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
2.2 International Statistics and Perspectives
2.3 South African Perspective
2.4 Policies and Strategies dealing with this Problem
2.4.1 Court cases
2.4.2 International
2.4.3 National (RSA Constitution, SASA, the Promotion of Equality and Prevention of Unfair Discrimination Act (No. 4 of 2000), (MPMLP), Integrated School Health Policy (ISHP)
2.4.4 Provincial – Limpopo
2.5 Challenges that people experience with this Policy
2.5.1 In the Schooling Context
2.5.2 Gender Insensitive, Inequality and Punitive
2.5.3 Inadequate Resources
2.6 Factors that Influence the understanding of the Policy
2.6.1 Teachers’ knowledge of the law
2.6.2 Communication within the education system
2.6.3 Lack of public awareness and support
2.6.4 Content and Contextual Factors
2.6.4.1 Lack of parental care and child-headed families
2.6.4.2 Poverty
2.6.4.3 Child social grants
2.6.4.4 The influence of media and pornographic material
2.6.4.5 Drugs and alcohol
2.6.4.6 Tradition and culture
2.6.4.7 Religion
2.7 Conclusion
CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Research Design
3.2.1 Case study
3.3 Research Methods
3.3.1 Semi-structured interviews
3.3.2 Documents analysis
3.3.3 Observation
3.3.4 Sampling and population
3.3.5 Data analysis
3.4 Trustworthiness
3.4.1 Credibility
3.4.2 Confirmability
3.5 Ethical Considerations
3.5.1 Permission
3.5.2 Informed consent and voluntary participation
3.5.3 Anonymity, confidentiality and privacy
3.5.4 Social value/ protection from harm
3.6 Conclusion
CHAPTER 4 DATA PRESENTATION, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Profile of Participants
4.3 The demographics of the research
4.4 Themes and Categories that Emerged from the Analysis
4.4.1 Knowledge of the learner pregnancy policy (MPMLP)
4.4.1.1 Positive factors relating to the knowledge of MPMLP
A. Reduction of the pregnancy rate
B. Educational rights of pregnant learners and gender equality
C. Effects of MPMLP on the pregnancy rate
4.4.1.2 Negative factors relating to a lack of knowledge of the MPMLP
A. Learners’ underperformance
B. Schools’ underperformance
C. Causes of the high rate of pregnancy
D. Policy as a cause of unfortunate choices
4.4.2 Management of pregnant learners at public schools
4.4.2.1 Communication with stakeholders
4.4.2.2 Leave of absence
4.4.2.3 Value of statistics or record keeping of pregnant learners
4.4.2.4 Male educators’ incapacity to handle pregnant learners
4.4.2.5 Collusion and cover-up of pregnancy
4.4.3 The involvement, co-operation and participation of stakeholders in the lives of pregnant learners
4.4.3.1 Presence of the parent at school
4.4.3.2 Support, advice and responsibility amongst the stakeholders
4.4.4 Challenges relating to policy (MPMLP) implementation in public Schools
4.4.4.1 Lack of knowledge of the MPMLP
4.4.4.2 Institutional and infrastructural incapacity to handle pregnant learners
4.4.4.3 Lack of parental involvement, advocacy and support
4.4.5 Recommendations on policy implementation
4.4.5.1 Organise workshops for stakeholders
4.4.5.2 Advocacy of the MPLMP
4.4.5.3 Make available copies of the policy to all stakeholders
4.4.5.4 Invite parents to school meetings and workshops
4.4.5.5 Provide infrastructure and human resources
4.4.5.6 The presence of parents in the lives of teenagers daily
4.4.5.7 Social media
4.5 Conclusion
CHAPTER 5 OVERVIEW, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Overview
5.3 Findings
5.4 Five themes that emerged from the data analysis
5.4.1 Summary of themes and findings
5.4.1.1 Knowledge of the learner pregnancy policy (MPMLP)
5.4.1.2 Management of pregnant learners at the public schools
5.4.1.3 The involvement, co-operation and participation of stakeholders in the lives of pregnant learners.
5.4.1.4 Challenges relating to policy (MPMLP) implementation in public schools
5.4.1.5 Recommendations on policy implementation
5.5 Responding to research questions
5.5.1 What are the views of the role-players regarding the learner pregnancy policy?
5.5.2 What are the views of the role-players in terms of the extent to which the policy has been successfully implemented?
5.5.3 What are the factors that enable or hinder the implementation of the policy?
5.5.4 Why is the implementation of the learner pregnancy policy ineffective in some public schools?
5.5.5 How is the learner pregnancy policy (MPMLP) implemented in some selected public schools?
5.6 Conclusion about the working assumption
5.7 Limitations of the study
5.8 Significance of the study
5.9 Recommendations
5.9.1 Recommendations for improvement of practice
5.9.1.1 Implementation impediments.
5.9.1.2 Policy reform
5.9.1.3 Early return following childbirth
5.9.1.4 Reducing gender inequalities and empowering girl learners
5.9.1.5 Relevant educational structures and health personnel
5.9.2 Recommendations for further research
5.10 Conclusion
6. References