The Impact of Teenage Pregnancy on School Dropout among Secondary School Girls in Embu Municipality

Diploma Thesis , 2007 , 40 Pages

Sociology - Children and Youth

Although considerable attention has been paid to the prevalence of adolescence childbearing in
Kenya today, few studies have focused on the educational consequences of the schoolgirl
pregnancy. Using data collected in selected schools in Embu Municipality, this study examines
the factors associated with schoolgirl pregnancy as well as the likelihood of school dropout and
subsequent re‐enrollment of schoolgirls who become pregnant.
The analysis is derived from the data collected from secondary schoolgirls, education officials
and teachers on factors that predispose girls to pregnancy, the extent to which teenage
pregnancy contributes to school dropout and the eventual levels of re‐admission. The data
analysis shows that girls in secondary schools are actually already sexually active though they
lack the relevant information to help them make the right choices as far as their sexuality is
concerned. The little information that they have is not conclusive and it is evident that they
yearn for information which would be useful for them.
Policy on re‐admission has been formulated but the extent to which it is applied is still a
questionable issue. A lot of gaps also exist in record keeping of the girls who become pregnant
while in school and what becomes of them when they dropout. Such records would be vital in
determining for sure if these girls become pregnant before dropping out of school or otherwise
and subsequently tracking them down for re‐admission purposes.
A question is then raised on what other factors would be causing these girls to drop out of
school other than just the pregnancy. However, poverty, cultural practices and peer pressure
are among the factors assumed to be predisposing girls to pregnancy from the findings of this
study, while these factors in themselves would also cause dropouts. Given the increasing levels
of female school participation in Kenya today through the affirmative action motion targeting
the girl child, the findings of this study suggest that future studies will benefit from exploring
the causal relationships between the factors mentioned above, adolescent reproductive health
behavior and subsequent school attendance.

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1:
  • Introduction & Background of the Study
  • Problem Statement
  • Objectives of the Study
  • Research Questions
  • Hypotheses
  • Scope of the Study
  • Justification of the Study
  • Significance of the Study
  • Limitations of the Study
  • Assumption of the Study
• Chapter 2:
  • Introduction
  • Causes of Teenage Pregnancies
  • Consequences of Teenage Pregnancy
  • Prevention and Remedial Measures of Teenage Pregnancies
  • Other causes of schoolgirl dropout
  • Efforts made in addressing Pregnancy-Related School dropout
  • Constraints Faced
  • Lessons Learnt
• Chapter 3:
  • Study Area
  • Research Design
  • Target Population
  • Sampling Procedure
  • Data Collection Methods
  • Data Analysis Methods
• Chapter 4:
  • Interview Guides
  • Questionnaires
  • Reports & Other Documents
• Chapter 5:
  • Summary of Findings

Objectives and Key Themes

This research project aims to explore the impact of teenage pregnancy on school dropout among secondary school girls in Embu Municipality, Kenya. The study seeks to understand the underlying factors contributing to teenage pregnancy, analyze its consequences on girls' education, and examine the efforts made to address this issue.

• The social and economic factors influencing teenage pregnancy in the region.
• The impact of teenage pregnancy on the educational attainment of girls.
• The effectiveness of interventions aimed at preventing teenage pregnancy and promoting girls' education.
• The challenges faced in addressing the issue of teenage pregnancy and school dropout.

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1 introduces the research topic, outlining the background of the study, the problem statement, objectives, research questions, hypotheses, scope, justification, significance, limitations, and assumptions. Chapter 2 delves into the literature review, examining the causes, consequences, prevention, and remedial measures of teenage pregnancies, as well as other factors contributing to schoolgirl dropout and existing efforts to address the issue. Chapter 3 outlines the research methodology employed, detailing the study area, research design, target population, sampling procedure, data collection methods, and data analysis techniques. Chapter 4 presents the research findings, including data obtained from interviews, questionnaires, reports, and other relevant documents.

Keywords

This research project focuses on teenage pregnancy, school dropout, secondary education, girls' education, social factors, economic factors, interventions, prevention, remedial measures, and challenges faced in Embu Municipality, Kenya. The study investigates the complex interplay between social, economic, and educational factors affecting girls' lives in the context of teenage pregnancy and school dropout.

• Course: Diploma in Social Work
• Author: Winnie Osulah (Author)
• Publication Year: 2007
• Pages: 40
• Catalog Number: V199931
• ISBN (eBook): 9783656323280
• ISBN (Book): 9783656326199
• Language: English
• Tags: impact, teenage, pregnancy, school, dropout, secondary, girls, embu, municipality