Discriminatory practices Discriminatory practices against schooling teen against schooling teen mothers in the Western mothers in the Western

CapeCape

Agnes ChigonaAgnes ChigonaCape Peninsula University Cape Peninsula University

of Technologyof Technology

outlineoutline

1.1. BackgroundBackground

2.2. MethodologyMethodology

3.3. ResultsResults

4.4. conclusion conclusion

5.5. Recommendations Recommendations

BackgroundBackground

Few years ago, girls who fell pregnant Few years ago, girls who fell pregnant were not allowed to continue with their were not allowed to continue with their schooling schooling

Policy on managing learner pregnancy in Policy on managing learner pregnancy in public schoolspublic schools

Despite the guarantee to remain in school, Despite the guarantee to remain in school, teen mothers face a number of challenges teen mothers face a number of challenges i.e. they feel lonely and not accepted as i.e. they feel lonely and not accepted as learnerslearners

Aim Aim

to find out issues that make teen to find out issues that make teen mothers feel excluded in their mothers feel excluded in their education process hence channelling education process hence channelling them to their failure to cope and them to their failure to cope and successfully complete their schoolingsuccessfully complete their schooling

to suggest measures that could be to suggest measures that could be put in place to facilitate the teen put in place to facilitate the teen mothers’ learning processmothers’ learning process

Why promoting teen mothers’ Why promoting teen mothers’ education?education?

Teen mothers and their children are Teen mothers and their children are vulnerable groups in our societyvulnerable groups in our society

They are at critical points in their lives They are at critical points in their lives where their living courses may be shaped where their living courses may be shaped towards eternal poverty and dependencytowards eternal poverty and dependency

Without support for teen mothers to Without support for teen mothers to complete their education, they will complete their education, they will together with their kids struggle with together with their kids struggle with poverty and its effectspoverty and its effects

MethodologyMethodology

Qualitative research approach - Qualitative research approach - interviewsinterviews

Participants were drawn from Participants were drawn from randomly selected high schools in randomly selected high schools in Cape TownCape Town

Participants (interviewees) included: Participants (interviewees) included: 1.1. Teen mothers (main participants)Teen mothers (main participants)

2.2. Heads of schoolsHeads of schools

3.3. Life orientation teachersLife orientation teachers

ResultsResults

Basing on the results of the survey, five Basing on the results of the survey, five themes that show discriminatory practices themes that show discriminatory practices against schooling teen mothers were against schooling teen mothers were identified:identified:

Prejudices against teen mothers at schoolPrejudices against teen mothers at school “ “… … many people think when you are a mother and you many people think when you are a mother and you

are still coming to school you have to be always quite and are still coming to school you have to be always quite and not doing anything like clubbing or hobbies… other people not doing anything like clubbing or hobbies… other people just act like something is wrong with you… they think you just act like something is wrong with you… they think you are a nobody.” are a nobody.” (A grade 10 teen mother)(A grade 10 teen mother)

Results cont.Results cont.

“…“…others treat you like you are stupid … like others treat you like you are stupid … like sometimes when you ask questions in class they sometimes when you ask questions in class they think you did not understand because you were think you did not understand because you were busy thinking about your child… and such busy thinking about your child… and such negative attitudes makes you feel you should negative attitudes makes you feel you should may be never talk in class”may be never talk in class”. . (A grade 12 teen (A grade 12 teen mother)mother)

Teen mothers are not treated as Teen mothers are not treated as learners with special needslearners with special needs

Results cont.Results cont.

Lack of policies on how to make Lack of policies on how to make decisions about absenteeism for decisions about absenteeism for teen mother learnersteen mother learners

Teachers scolding teen mothers Teachers scolding teen mothers in front of their peersin front of their peers

The discourse of contaminationThe discourse of contamination

Conclusion Conclusion

There are discriminatory practice that There are discriminatory practice that affect equal access to education of teen affect equal access to education of teen mothersmothers

Teen mothers are seen as incapable and Teen mothers are seen as incapable and unfit for education – negatively affecting unfit for education – negatively affecting the girls’ self esteemthe girls’ self esteem

Failure to treat to treat teen mothers as Failure to treat to treat teen mothers as learners with special needs is a big blow to learners with special needs is a big blow to these learners these learners

Recommendations Recommendations

There is need to:There is need to: Provide special facilities to teen Provide special facilities to teen

mothers at school e.g. bathrooms mothers at school e.g. bathrooms breaks, chairs, on-site crèche breaks, chairs, on-site crèche facilitiesfacilities

Develop policies on how to make Develop policies on how to make decisions about absenteeism for teen decisions about absenteeism for teen mothers in schoolsmothers in schools

Recommendations cont.Recommendations cont.

Sensitize teachers and fellow Sensitize teachers and fellow learners of teen mothers and the learners of teen mothers and the parents of other learners not to make parents of other learners not to make the presence of these girls in public the presence of these girls in public schools unwelcomeschools unwelcome