Scholastic performance of adolescent pregnant learners

Abstract

This study looked at the scholastic performance of senior phase (Grades 7-9) pregnant learners from Vhumbedzi circuit of Vhembe district in Limpopo province of South Africa. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 87 respondents. The respondents were selected from 1 primary and 2 secondary schools through purposive and stratified random sampling. A focus group discussion with six educators teaching the respondents prior and during their pregnancy was conducted. Purposive sampling was utilized to select educators for the research schools. The general finding was that there is a significant difference on the scholastic performance of pregnant learners compared to that of non pregnant learners. There is also a significant difference in the scholastic performance of male learners with pregnant girlfriends compared to male learners with non pregnant girlfriends/no girlfriends. Pregnant learners significantly performed poorly compared to non pregnant learners. Male learners with pregnant girlfriends also performed poorly as compared to male learners with no girlfriends/non pregnant girlfriends. The findings are significant especially in South Africa where teenage pregnancy is in the rise and recommendations are essential in guiding on how to support learner and educators in such schools.