The prevalence of learner teenage pregnancies is a winnable battle, provided the major stakeholders, namely the Departments of Education (DoE) and Health (DoH) provide joint positive efforts. The situation requires continuous effective support to the teachers that have to handle the situation of teenage pregnancies at secondary schools. In spite of the implementation of Life Orientation as a school subject, to deals with sexual behaviour, sexual health, decision making regarding sexuality, risk of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and Aids the prevalence of learner teenage pregnancies at secondary schools remains high. Health care professionals should become involved by promoting and implementing preventive measures to reduce the increase in learner teenage pregnancies in collaboration with the DoE. This will achieve a situation where there is assistance and support for vulnerable learners, and teachers that are daily exposed to learner pregnancies, as well as deliveries of babies on school premises. The intervention of health care professionals will provide quality care to learners and continuous support for teachers in all provinces, not only KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The objective of this study is to explore and describe the teachers‟ experiences regarding learner teenage pregnancies in KZN. The study is explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. An interpretative approach was suitable to address the research aim of this qualitative research design, namely to answer the research question: “How do secondary school teachers experience teenage pregnancies and unexpected deliveries at school?” Participants were selected by purposeful sampling strategy. Data were collected through individual interviews and the data analysis followed Tesch‟s (1990) method of systematic open coding. During the data analysis themes were identified, including for instance the overall experiences with learner teenage pregnancies, experiences related to unexpected deliveries at school and recommendations to cope with teenage pregnancies and unexpected deliveries at school. The participants were all aware of the negative consequences of learner teenage pregnancies, which include leaving school, the resulting unemployability of learners who left school early and subsequent poverty and low social economic status. Recommendations aimed at stakeholders such as the DoE and Health centre on jointly supporting secondary school teachers with respect to their experiences with learner teenage pregnancies and unexpected deliveries at school. Health professionals are requested to implement campaigns and school visits to supply contraceptive services, whereas the DoE has to emphasise and ensure that teachers understand the importance of contemporary approaches when implementing the Life Orientation curriculum that explicity deals with sexuality, sexual behaviour, sexual health, decision making regarding sexuality, risk of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections including HIV and Aids. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The prevalence of learner teenage pregnancies is a winnable battle, provided the major stakeholders, namely the Departments of Education (DoE) and Health (DoH) provide joint positive efforts. The situation requires continuous effective support to the teachers that have to handle the situation of teenage pregnancies at secondary schools. In spite of the implementation of Life Orientation as a school subject, to deals with sexual behaviour, sexual health, decision making regarding sexuality, risk of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, including HIV and Aids the prevalence of learner teenage pregnancies at secondary schools remains high. Health care professionals should become involved by promoting and implementing preventive measures to reduce the increase in learner teenage pregnancies in collaboration with the DoE. This will achieve a situation where there is assistance and support for vulnerable learners, and teachers that are daily exposed to learner pregnancies, as well as deliveries of babies on school premises. The intervention of health care professionals will provide quality care to learners and continuous support for teachers in all provinces, not only KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). The objective of this study is to explore and describe the teachers‟ experiences regarding learner teenage pregnancies in KZN. The study is explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. An interpretative approach was suitable to address the research aim of this qualitative research design, namely to answer the research question: “How do secondary school teachers experience teenage pregnancies and unexpected deliveries at school?” Participants were selected by purposeful sampling strategy. Data were collected through individual interviews and the data analysis followed Tesch‟s (1990) method of systematic open coding. During the data analysis themes were identified, including for instance the overall experiences with learner teenage pregnancies, experiences related to unexpected deliveries at school and recommendations to cope with teenage pregnancies and unexpected deliveries at school. The participants were all aware of the negative consequences of learner teenage pregnancies, which include leaving school, the resulting unemployability of learners who left school early and subsequent poverty and low social economic status. Recommendations aimed at stakeholders such as the DoE and Health centre on jointly supporting secondary school teachers with respect to their experiences with learner teenage pregnancies and unexpected deliveries at school. Health professionals are requested to implement campaigns and school visits to supply contraceptive services, whereas the DoE has to emphasise and ensure that teachers understand the importance of contemporary approaches when implementing the Life Orientation curriculum that explicity deals with sexuality, sexual behaviour, sexual health, decision making regarding sexuality, risk of pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections including HIV and Aids. / MCur, North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by farm schools in exercising the right to basic education. In doing so, also to determine possible reasons behind learners' drop-out rate at farm schools. This stUdy was prompted by political changes, which took place after the democratic elections of April 1994, impacting on the provisioning of education in South Africa. The South African education system and its institutions were confronted by many laws and policies, including the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 (84/1996), the National Education Policy Act 27 of 1996 (27/1996) and specific obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Through literature and empirical studies it was found that the State's commitment to social justice, especially to education, remains unfulfilled for large numbers of children, youths and adults living in rural areas. Literature revealed that the South African government is failing to protect the right to a primary education for learners living on commercial farms by neither ensuring their access to farm school, nor maintaining the adequacy of learning conditions at these schools. The research findings revealed that poverty resulting from unemployment or low income on the farms increases the need for teenagers to be in paid employment in the evenings or at the weekend, increasing absenteeism and ultimately resulting in learners dropping out, and an increase in child-labour. The empirical method, using questionnaires, was successful in obtaining information about what challenges are faced by farm schools in exercising the right to basic education and the reasons behind farm school learners dropping-out. It also established how participants felt and thought about their experiences and perceptions on the challenges confronting the right to basic education as well as the reasons behind farm school learners dropping out. The study established that if the State could respect and fulfil economic and social rights of the farm sChool community, including the right to basic education, by eradicating measures that deny the enjoyment of the right to education as seen at the farm schools, great progress and sustainability as far as education is concerned could be achieved by these schools. A number or recommendations were made with regard to the research on findings for the Sedibeng-West District (08). / Thesis (M.Ed. (Education Law))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the challenges faced by farm schools in exercising the right to basic education. In doing so, also to determine possible reasons behind learners' drop-out rate at farm schools. This stUdy was prompted by political changes, which took place after the democratic elections of April 1994, impacting on the provisioning of education in South Africa. The South African education system and its institutions were confronted by many laws and policies, including the South African Schools Act 84 of 1996 (84/1996), the National Education Policy Act 27 of 1996 (27/1996) and specific obligations under the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Through literature and empirical studies it was found that the State's commitment to social justice, especially to education, remains unfulfilled for large numbers of children, youths and adults living in rural areas. Literature revealed that the South African government is failing to protect the right to a primary education for learners living on commercial farms by neither ensuring their access to farm school, nor maintaining the adequacy of learning conditions at these schools. The research findings revealed that poverty resulting from unemployment or low income on the farms increases the need for teenagers to be in paid employment in the evenings or at the weekend, increasing absenteeism and ultimately resulting in learners dropping out, and an increase in child-labour. The empirical method, using questionnaires, was successful in obtaining information about what challenges are faced by farm schools in exercising the right to basic education and the reasons behind farm school learners dropping-out. It also established how participants felt and thought about their experiences and perceptions on the challenges confronting the right to basic education as well as the reasons behind farm school learners dropping out. The study established that if the State could respect and fulfil economic and social rights of the farm sChool community, including the right to basic education, by eradicating measures that deny the enjoyment of the right to education as seen at the farm schools, great progress and sustainability as far as education is concerned could be achieved by these schools. A number or recommendations were made with regard to the research on findings for the Sedibeng-West District (08). / Thesis (M.Ed. (Education Law))--North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2008.