American Journal of Business and Society
Articles Information
American Journal of Business and Society, Vol.4, No.4, Dec. 2019, Pub. Date: Dec. 27, 2019
Incidence and Challenges Facing Teenage Mothers in Senior High Schools in the Ledzokuku Krowor Municipality of Ghana
Pages: 108-119 Views: 1365 Downloads: 1284
Authors
[01] Roberta Quaye, Social Studies Education Department, Social Sciences Education Department, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.
[02] Lucy Effeh Attom, Social Studies Education Department, Social Sciences Education Department, University of Education, Winneba, Ghana.
Abstract
This study examined the causes of teenage pregnancy and challenges facing teenage mothers in Senior High Schools in Ledzokuku Krowor Municipal. The qualitative research approach was adopted using the case study design. Fifteen teenage mothers were purposively sampled from three Senior High Schools in Ledzokuku Krowor Municipal for the study. An interview guide was used for the data collection. The findings from the study indicated that peer pressure, poverty and the influence of the mass media were the major causes of teenage pregnancy in the Ledzokuku Krowor District. The study further revealed that most of the teenage mothers had knowledge about sex education before they became pregnant so they knew the consequences of sex at the time they became pregnant. The study also established that teachers, friends and parents were all in a state of shock, disappointment and anger when they discovered that the young girls were pregnant. The teenage mothers were also shocked when they discovered that they were pregnant. The study also revealed that child birth had delayed the school going ages of most of the teenage mothers and had also affected their academic performance negatively. The study indicated that one of the major challenges that the teenage mothers faced was their inability to balance their motherly role with academic work due to the fact that they do not get enough support from their family members. Most of the participants noted that their partners abandoned them after discovering that they were pregnant. It was recommended that the Ministry of Education implement the Re-Entry of teenage mothers Policy in full in all schools in the municipality and Ghana in general. The Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection should collaborate with the Department of Social Welfare to offer counselling to teenage mothers and their parents and finally, stiff punishment should be given to men who sexually defile or rape and impregnate underage girls.
Keywords
Adolescent Pregnancy, Ghana, Ledzokuku Krowor Municipality, Senior High Schools, Teenage Mothers
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