69| J o u r n a l o f A d u l t E d u c a t i o n i n T a n z a n i aChallenges Facing Teenage Mothers Re-Admitted to Non-Formal Education System in Tanzania: Empirical Evidence from Learners at Wamo Open School, Morogoro Municipality

Abstract

In Tanzania, as in many other low and middle-income countries, teenage pregnancy rates remain high, with cultural, socioeconomic and structural factors contributing to early and unintended pregnancies among adolescents. This study focused on the challenges facing teenage mothers re-admitted to non-formal education in Tanzania. The study was qualitative and employed a purposive sampling technique to select 20 participants from Wamo Open School. Data was analysedqualitatively. The findings revealed that teenage mothers re-admitted to non-formal education in Tanzania faced a myriad of challenges namely, stigma and discrimination from peers and community members, lack of financial resources, childcare responsibilities, dropout risk, and limited future opportunities. Finally, the study recommends that Wamo Open School, Morogoro Municipality should develop and implement comprehensive support services tailored to the needs of teenage mothers re-admitted to non-formal education programs. Keywords: Teenage mothers, non-formal education, challenges, re-admission, Tanzania