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Educational programmes for pregnant and former pregnant teenagers in sub-Saharan Africa
The inclusion of pregnant and former pregnant learners in formal education is a recent phenomenon in the African continent. In fact, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child (ACRWC) of 1990 only came into force on 29 November 1999 (Organisation of African Unity [OAU] DOC. CAB/LEG/249/49, 1990). To date the ACRWC has been ratified by only 35 of the continent‟s 53 countries that constitute the African Union (7th meeting of the African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, 2005:2). Furthermore, not many African countries have come up with legislative measures that directly protect pregnant and former pregnant girls and women from discrimination in formal education. With the exception of Botswana, all the other countries with pregnant and parenting education policies had such policies instituted after 1990 (Hubbard et al., 2008; Meekers & Ahmed, 1999; Chilisa, 2002; Bayona & Kandji-Murangi, 1996; Mgalla, Schapink & Boerma, 1998; Hudel, 1999; Gordon, 2002; Mitchell et al., 1999).
As can be seen from Table 2.3, most countries‟ policies cater for the re-entry of former pregnant teens after giving birth and so serve teen mothers more than pregnant teenagers. Zimbabwe, South Africa, Madagascar and Cameroon are the only few countries whose policies do not limit attendance to the period after giving birth. An analysis of the provisions of the available policies (Ministry of Basic Education and Culture, 1997; DoE, 2007; Chilisa, 2002; Gordon, 2002; Meekers & Ahmed, 1999; Hubbard et al., 2008) indicates that there is lack of detail on specific implementation strategies or methodological approaches at school level. The most common feature is that the reenrolled teen mothers or pregnant learners should be fully included in all the learning activities in the school. To this end, only the principle of non-discrimination is addressed without going any further to provide extra assistance or interventions to the conditions of pregnancy and parenting which can present challenges to learning.
In the case of South Africa, it is clear that child care is the responsibility of the girl child and her parents, while by implication, the Zimbabwean policy circular sends the same message since the decision to continue or withdrew from school is to be arrived at by the pregnant learner with the full concurrence of her parents (DoE, 2007; MoESC Policy Circular Minute P.35, 1999). That being the case, there are no campus-based child care services or pre- and post-natal health care facilities for the pregnant and former pregnant learners similar to those provided for, by SCCs, NFS and the inclusive programmes in the USA. The DoE (2007) specifies that no medical assistance will be rendered by the school to both the mother-to-be and the new born child. It is, however, worth noting that counselling to both the pregnant and former pregnant teenagers and their parents can be undertaken by the school through life orientation in the case of South Africa, Guidance and Counselling in the case of Zimbabwe and Family Life Education in the case of Namibia (MoESC Policy Circular Minute P.35, 1999; Gordon, 2002; MBEC, 1997).
CHAPTER ONE: ORIENTATION TO THE STUDY
1. Introduction and background of the study
1.2 Rationale and significance of the study
1.3 Research context.
1.4 Problem statement
1.5 Statement of purpose
1.6 Study objectives.
1.7 Research questions
1.8 Research design and methodology
1.9 Theoretical framework
1.10 Research assumptions
1.11 Quality assurance measures
1.12 Ethical considerations
1.13 Delimitations and limitations
1.14 Definitions of terms
1.15 Structure and outline of chapters
1.16 Chapter Summary
CHAPTER TWO: REFLECTIONS FROM THE PAST AND RELATED STUDIES
2.1 Introduction
2.2 The policy landscape
2.2.1 Prevalence and effects of teenage pregnancy on women education.
2.2.2 The impetus to international policy on educational rights for pregnant teenagers.
2.2.3 International conventions and declarations on pregnant teenagers‟ right to education .
2.2.4 Schoolgirl pregnancy policies in developed nations
2.2.5 Impact of Title IX on the educability of pregnant and former pregnant teenagers
2.2.6 Schoolgirl pregnancy policies in African nations
2.2.7 Schoolgirl pregnancy policies in South Africa and Zimbabwe.
2.3 Translating policy into practice
2.3.1 Education programmes for pregnant and former pregnant teenagers in developed nations
2.3.2 Effects of TAPPs on pregnant and former pregnant teenagers‟ educational opportunity
2.3.3 Educational programmes for pregnant and former pregnant teenagers in sub-Saharan Africa
2.3.4 Educational programmes for pregnant and former pregnant teenagers in South Africa and Zimbabwe
2. 4 Responses to education policies and programmes for pregnant and former pregnant teenagers
2.4.1 Conservative and liberal discourses to educational programmes for pregnant teenagers
2.4.2 Curriculum of „protection‟ and curriculum of „redemption‟.
2.5 Implications on pregnant teenagers‟ education
2.6 Social factors to pregnant teenagers‟ school participation
2.7 Considerations for intervention programmes for pregnant and former pregnant teenagers
2.8 An overview of findings from reviewed literature on teenage pregnancy and education
2.9 Chapter summary
CHAPTER THREE: POSITIONING THE STUDY IN ACTION SCIENCE THEORY
3.1 Introduction.
3.2 Choosing the theoretical framework
3.3 Positioning the study into Argyris and Schon‟s theory-of-action
3.4. Argyris and Schon‟s action science theory
3.5 Model I and Model II theories-in-use
3.6 Chapter summary .
CHAPTER FOUR: RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Epistemological/Meta-theoretical paradigm
4.3 Methodological paradigm
4.4 Data collection
4.5 Data collection instruments and procedures
4.6 Data analysis and interpretation
4.7 Quality criteria measures
4.8 Ethical considerations
4.9 Chapter summary
CHAPTER FIVE: DATA PRESENTATION AND ANALYSIS
5.1 Introduction
5.1.1 Emerging themes and categories
5.2 Educational needs and aspirations of pregnant teens
5.3 Responsiveness of stakeholders to policy on mainstreaming of pregnant teens in formal education
5.4 Responsiveness of the school to the educational needs of pregnant teen learners.
5.5 Responsiveness of the family to the educational needs of pregnant teens
5.6 Responsiveness of the community to the educational needs of pregnant teens.
5.7 Code-frequency count.
5.8 Relationships between themes and categories.
5.9 Chapter Summary.
CHAPTER SIX: LITERATURE CONTROL ON EMERGING THEMES.
CHAPTER SEVEN: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION
References
