The Effects Of Teenage Pregnancy Among Female Secondary School Students In FCT (A Case Study Of Some Selected Schools In FCT)
Abstract
This study was on the effects of teenage pregnancy among female secondary school students in FCT (A case study of some selected schools in FCT). The total population for the study is 200 staff of selected secondary school in FCT. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made principals, vice principals administration, senior staff and junior staff were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies.
Chapter one
Introduction
- Background of the study
The word teenage pregnancy cannot be further discussed without giving a brief detail of what it entails. Teenage pregnancy can be defined as when a teenage or underage girl between the ages of 13-19 becomes pregnant as a result of unprotected sexual intercourse. it can also be seen as the pregnancy of a young girl of 13-19 years mostly not married. Every year thousand of teenagers become pregnant at a very large population to themselves, their children and the society. While the facts are clear, the issues of teenage pregnancy are complicated by our conflicting attitude and behaviour. The burdens of early childbirth on disadvantaged teens are undeniable. Trying to entangle the factors which contribute to teenage pregnancy from it consequences however, leads to which comes first “the chicken or the egg”? (Florida Statutes. Public education, general provisions, definitions. Tallahassee, FL: Florida State Board of Education, 1995). Said that educational failure has been understood to be a negative outcome of teenagers becoming pregnant and early child birth. But how can teens avoid becoming pregnant when talk of sex fills the air waves, younger and younger girls are portrayed as sex objects and sex is used to sell everything from clothes to news. Yet we are shocked at the rising number of teens who are sexually active. If we are truly concerned about the welfare of babies, children, and adolescents then we must move beyond the moral panic and denial that so often distort the discussion to design an effective solution to these economic assumptions, wishful thinking and honest acknowledgement that is still yet not understood about the causes of this problem. The causes of teenage pregnancy include the following:
- In some places early pregnancy is seen as a blessing and a proof of the young woman’s fertility.
- Adolescent sexual behaviour for example, 29% of teens reported feeling pressure to have sex, 33% of sexually they didn’t really want to do.
- Lack of knowledge of contraceptives or access to it, fright and embarrassment to seek information about contraceptives also cause teenage pregnancy.
- Another cause is sexual abuse which studies have found that between 11-20% of pregnancy in teenagers is a direct result of rape while 60% of teenage mothers had unwanted sexual experience preceding their pregnancy.
- Before age of 15, a majority of first intercourse experiences among, females are reported to be non voluntary and 25% of women who did not give birth as teens were molested.
- Other causes of this problem includes, age discrepancies in relationship, dating, violence, social economic factors, poverty, childhood environment, greed, peer pressure etc.
Teenage pregnancy has become a public health issues because of its observed negative effects and cause on perinatal outcomes and long term morbidity. The association of young maternal age is usually confounded however, by the high prevalence of poverty, low level of education, which is our major and single marital status among teenage mothers. This research assesses the independent effect of teenage pregnancy on educational disabilities and educational problems in a total number of children and teens who are mothers. According to Angola, G. “Dilemma of African Child” the spokes man newspaper and printing cooperation, 1973), he said that the teenage is an important period of development in a females life, it spans from the pre-puberty stage to young adulthood. Girls (teens) have a questioning mind and want to know and be taught the right attitude (s) (Margaret, O. Childhood and adolescent studies for effective teaching, revised edition, 1999). Said that world wide range teenage pregnancy ranges from 143 per 1000 in some countries. In developed countries it is usually outside marriage and carries a social stigma in many communities and cultures, for these reasons, there have been many studies which attempt to uncover the causes and limit the number of teens who get pregnant. Data supporting teenage pregnancy as a social issue in Nigeria includes low educational level, higher rates of poverty and other poorer life outcomes. In some part of this country teenage pregnancy is usually within marriage and does not involve peer stigma. Being a young mother in a developing country like ours can affect ones education. Teen mothers are more likely to drop out of school in prior to becoming pregnant. Factors that determine which mother is likely to have a closely spaced reported birth includes, marriage and education, the likelihood decreases with the level of education of the young woman or her parents and increases if she gets married. These circumstances also contribute to the likelihood of teenage pregnancy for example; recent studies suggested that most adolescent mothers have already dropped out of school before they became pregnant. In conclusion, knowledge is power so let us salvage our future by being wise and seek to obtain and achieve success through education.
Statement of the problem
Teenage pregnancy is on the increase at an alarming rate among female students in Nigeria, which has generated a lot of concern to most individuals, families and the society. It is also one of the serious social health problems which is gradually gaining ground and spreading which is now in the whole wide world.
Studies had shown that teenagers are bound to have its share on this health problem. Therefore, the need for this study is to investigate into the causes and prevalence of teenage pregnancy among secondary school female students in FCT. This will help in a great deal to expose these students to information that deal to expose these students to information that will in turn enable them to make informed decisions about their social health.
Objective of the study
The objectives of the study are;
- To ascertain the causes of teenage pregnancy in secondary schools in FCT
- To ascertain the relationship between teenage pregnancy and academic performance in secondary schools
- To ascertain the significance difference between peer group influence and teenage pregnancy
- To ascertain the significance difference between knowledge of sex education (either in school or at home) and teenage pregnancy.
Research hypotheses
For the successful completion of the study, the following research hypotheses were formulated by the researcher;
H0: there are no causes of teenage pregnancy in secondary schools in FCT
H1: the causes of teenage pregnancy in secondary schools in FCT
H02: there is no relationship between teenage pregnancy and academic performance in secondary schools
H2: there is relationship between teenage pregnancy and academic performance in secondary schools
Significance of the study
This study will help to educate on the consequences of early pregnancy, on educational attainment and also the significant negative emotional and social consequences of sexual activities leading to teenage pregnancy in order for the following persons/groups to benefit.
– Future mothers who would want to enjoy their family through this study would abstain from sex in order not to destroy their future.
– Parents of these teens would benefit by excluding shame or ridicule by friends.
– The society is also in the position to benefit due to the fact that the society would be made up of planned children who are needed and reduces population.
– The school authorities would have more students to educate with more zeal and seriousness
– Teenagers would escape unwanted pregnancy, STD, shame and safeguard their future.
– The future generation and unborn babies would be born into a planned, organized and prepared environment
Scope and limitation of the study
The scope of the study covers the effects of teenage pregnancy among female secondary school students in FCT (A case study of some selected schools in FCT). The researcher encounters some constrain which limited the scope of the study;
- a) AVAILABILITY OF RESEARCH MATERIAL: The research material available to the researcher is insufficient, thereby limiting the study
- b) TIME: The time frame allocated to the study does not enhance wider coverage as the researcher has to combine other academic activities and examinations with the study.
1.7 DEFINITION OF TERMS
Meaning of special words used in the context in relation to this research is stated below:
Teens: Year of a person’s age from 13-19
Peers: Persons who are equal to one another in rank, age, status, or merit.
Fertility: State or condition of being fertile, being able to produce young ones.
Pregnancy: State or period of being pregnant (having baby developing in the womb).
Sexual intercourse: Insertion of a man’s penis into a woman’s vagina.
Sexual abuse: Wrong use of sex mainly by a stronger person to a weaker one.
Consequences: Thins that results or effect of something else.
Contractive: Natural method and artificial method of preventing pregnancy.
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