Secondary school re-entry programme of teenage mothers: views of stakeholders in Zanzibar, Tanzania

Abstract

Increasing access to education through the re-entry policy for girls after school pregnancy could be seen in terms of bringing about social justice and equity in education, especially in developing countries, and enabling them to realise its benefits. This strong international and philosophical commitment is different from the traditional view of education as preparation for life roles. Therefore, implementing it in the African context might be expected to raise several problems, possibly resulting in a lack of commitment on the ground. The purpose of this study was to assess the views of stakeholders on the re-entry programme of teenage mothers into secondary schools in Unguja Urban-West district, Tanzania. The study used a mixed method approach and convergent mixed methods design. The study used a sample size of 160 participants, including teachers and parents. The findings revealed that stakeholders were sceptical of the success of this policy. Teenage mothers do not have enough time to complete their homework and to study at home because their relatives who take care of the babies want to be free of child chores the moment they are back at home. The babies also want attention from their mothers when they return from school. For effective implementation of school re-entry programme among teenage mother, schools should create an enabling learning environment that accommodates both the needs of teenage mothers and their children.