South African teachers' responses to teenage pregnancy and teenage mothers in schools

Abstract

South African law forbids excluding pregnant teenagers from school and permits young parents to continue with their schooling. However, the existence of progressive policy and law does not by itself ensure that pregnant teenagers and young parents remain in school or experience as little disruption to their studies as possible. Two of the factors influencing the experiences that pregnant girls and young parents have are the attitudes and practices of teachers. We explore how teachers in diverse South African secondary schools respond to young women's pregnancy and parenting. Teachers' responses are situated within a complex set of meanings invoking sexuality (and sexual censure), gender, class and race. We argue that many teachers view teenage pregnancy and parenting as social problems - a domain of sexual shame with negative effects and disruptive to the academic life of the school (including teachers and other learners). Teachers do not monolithically subscribe to such negativity and, in the context of changing policy and gender equality, there are glimmers of hope. Without much support, training or any formal school-based support, many teachers show care and concern for pregnant women and young parents, providing some hope for better experiences of schooling.

“Girls need to behave like girls you know”: the complexities of applying a gender justice goal within sexuality education in South African schools

“…This extract highlights the policing of gender at school that has been widely reported and theorized, 22,23 with the notion of the man as head of the household being equated with sexual dominance.…”

The Need for a Model to Facilitate Health for Pregnant Learners Attending Secondary Schools in South Africa

“…Newspapers, which Oosthuizen (2012) and Daku, Gibbs and Heyman (2012) regard as important sources of knowledge for the general public and policy makers, reported frequently about pregnant learners in all nine provinces of the country (The Mercury 2012:14;Cape Times 2012:1;The Mail and Guardian 2012:23). Unlike in the past when pregnant learners were expelled from schools, these days the Department of Basic Education encourages them to continue attending and forbids school governing bodies from expelling these learners so that they are not further disadvantaged by lack of education (Department of Education, 2007;Bhana, Morrell, Shefer and Ngabaza, 2010). This then leads to a disturbing presence of pregnant learners at secondary school premises as secondary schools cannot adequately provide for their health needs.…”

Policy commitments vs. lived realities of young pregnant women and mothers in school, Western Cape, South Africa

“…Further, in their communities and their schools early pregnancy and young motherhood continue to be stigmatised. 22 In some cases, this is aggravated by being deserted by their baby's father. 23 In contrast, the presence of family support, financial and practical, plays a key role in shaping a more positive and successful outcome in the experience of school-going mothers.…”

“…12 Research has shown that while some educators are willing to assist pregnant learners, they are hindered by their own attitudes, lack of skills and clear enough guidance on how to do so. 13 Schools reportedly continue to engage in exclusionary practices by creating a hostile environment, forcing some pregnant adolescents out of school, 2,14 thereby denying their constitutional right to education. In this context of unclarity, together with continued moralistic and negative responses to young pregnancy and parenting, young women's equal right to education may be undermined.…”

“…4 One of the central guidelines specifies that learners may "request or be required to take leave of absence…to address both pre and post natal health concerns…No pre-determined period is specified for this purpose since it will depend entirely on the circumstances of each case" and that "learners as parents should exercise full responsibility for parenting and that a period of absence of up to two years may be necessary for this purpose" but that "learners should not" (p. 22) 4 return in the same year that they left to have the baby. This has been interpreted differently by some schools resulting in exclusionary practices for pregnant young women.…”