Text in English / Learner pregnancy in secondary schools of South Africa is a public health problem that requires the involvement of parents, teachers and health workers in order to promote maternal and child health and retain learners in school. The aim of this study was to explore and describe the experiences of teachers, parents and pregnant learners regarding facilitation of health for pregnant learners and then develop a model to facilitate social support for pregnant learners attending secondary schools in order to attain and maintain health for the mother and her newborn baby and prevent school dropout. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual theory generating study was conducted using semi-structured interviews to collect data from ten pregnant learners, ten teachers and five parents who were purposely selected and voluntarily participated. Data was analysed using Tesch’s open coding method where six themes emerged. The themes were then discussed with literature control. The findings revealed that pregnancy amongst secondary school learners in Limpopo Province is a challenge to teachers, parents and pregnant learners regarding social support for pregnant learners to continue attending school and remaining healthy. A concept analysis was performed and revealed facilitation of social support as the main concept, and then other concepts related to it were identified and classified. The model was developed through the steps of theory generation and was then submitted to a panel of experts for evaluation who found it useful to nursing practice and society in general. The model promotes interaction between the role players in education to address learner pregnancy and can also be useful in addressing other challenges in the schools. It is facilitated by a school health nurse but can also be facilitated by a teacher or a social worker in cases where a school health nurse is not available. The guidelines for the implementation of the model were formulated and described. Pregnant learners, as recipient of social support, should submit themselves to the support offered by the social network and communicate their needs openly to the professional nurse, their parents and teachers, so that they can receive adequate social support. / Health Studies / D. Litt. et Phil. (Health Studies) / 1 online resource (xv, 206 pages) : illustrations (some color), maps (some color)

This study was intended to explore the role male partners play in preventing adolescent pregnancy in the Letlhabile area, of Brits district, which is located in the North West Province. Adolescent males and females whose ages ranged between 13-20 years were included in the sample. The inclusion criteria was determined on the basis of the adolescents who were pregnant and non- pregnant, as well as males who had already became parents and those who hadn't experienced fatherhood. Focus group discussions and individual in-depth interviews were conducted.ObservaJions and the review of existing documents were triangulated to gather valid and reliable information. Quantitative and qualitative data analysis were blended. The findings revealed significant factors that ranged from the reaction of parents and/or partner to the announcement of pregnancy, to issues that impact on consequences of multiple sex partners. The recommendations of this project deal with aspects that include contraception, sexuality education, parental involvement among many relevant policy issues. / Health Studies / M.A. (Nursing Science)

Teenage pregnancy in South African schools poses a serious management and leadership challenge. Statistics from Statistics South Africa (2008) reflect the seriousness of this problem in all provinces wherein Mpumalanga, Northern Cape, Limpopo (where this study is situated) and Eastern Cape report high levels of early pregnancy. The main objective of this study was, therefore, to explore the challenges faced by the SMTs regarding teenage pregnancies at secondary schools in the Vhembe District in Limpopo province. A mixed methods approach was used to collect data from SMTs in schools that are located in Vhembe district. Questionnaires were distributed to the school management teams (SMTs) of different schools. In addition, qualitative data were collected through interviewing the SMTs. The study findings reflected that management of teenage pregnancy is still a problem at Vhembe District of Education despite the laws and policies that are in place. SMTs also felt that the issue of pregnant learners at schools should be left for medical experts to deal with them. The study recommends that there ought to be intervention programs including training of SMTs, SGBs and Educators regarding management of teenage pregnancy. / Educational Leadership and Management / M. Ed. (Education Management)

Teenage pregnancy is a global problem and its prevalence in South Africa poses a serious concern to the government, health workers, parents, teachers, communities, and social workers in particular. As such, social work services are crucial in assisting pregnant teenagers to be self-reliant. Social workers employ three primary methods of social work practice when providing services to pregnant teenagers, namely casework, group work, and community work. This study sought to explore social work services for pregnant teenagers. A qualitative research method using an exploratory, descriptive, and contextual research design was employed to gather data from 12 social workers working in both rural and urban settings in the Capricorn District, Limpopo Province. A non-probability, purposive sampling method was used to select a sample. Data was collected by means of semi-structured interviews, consisting of a list of open-ended questions included in an interview guide. Data was also analysed following Tesch eight steps while Lincoln and Guba’s model was used for data verification. There are several stumbling blocks to effective service delivery, such as complex social problems experienced by pregnant teenagers, lack of formal and informal support, high caseloads, lack of resources, and little cooperation from other disciplines and agencies. Based on these findings, recommendations are made for education, practice, policy, and further research in an attempt to provide solutions to these challenges. / Social Work / M.A. (Social Science)

PhDPH / Department of Public Health / There is a growing concern over the rising cases of adolescent pregnancy, drug and substance abuse, poor academic performance, violence, high school dropout rate and HIV/AIDS prevalence among secondary school students. The grounds of these problems are considered to be related to inadequate Life Orientation Education which should equip the learners with psychosocial competencies, but the ability to make informed decision, solve problems, think creatively and critically, communicate effectively, build healthy interpersonal relationships is lacking among the youths (Dash, 2018). The purpose of the study was to develop strategies to facilitate the implementation of existing Life orientation curriculum in secondary schools of Limpopo province, South Africa. An exploratory sequential design was used in this study. This research design had three stages. In the first stage (1a) the researcher collected and analysed quantitative data. Based on the quantitative results, the researcher will then engage a second stage (1b), the qualitative phase, to test and make the general view of the initial findings. This was followed by phase 3, which was the development of the coping strategies and validation of the strategies as outlined. Purposive sampling was employed to select two districts and then four circuits. Phase 1a identified factors influencing implementation of existing Life Orientation curriculum. Eight schools were selected using stratified random sampling. Simple random sampling was used to select 521 grade 10, 11 and 12 adolescent girls. Data was collected through a self-designed and self-administered questionnaire. Data was analysed descriptively using statistical software Stata/IC version 15.0. of the computer program. Validity and reliability were ensured. Phase 1b identified the predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors that can affect the behaviours, attitudes, and environmental factors contributing to the implementation of Life skills programmes in schools. A qualitative approach, and explorative, descriptive and contextual designs were applied. The population were all guardians and school teachers. Purposive sampling was used to select guardians for the focus groups discussions and teachers for in-depth interviews. Data analysis employed Tesch open coding method. Phase 2 was the development strategies to facilitate the implementation of existing LO programme in Limpopo province. Results from Structured Interviews, Focused group, Questionnaires were fused together with the use of the Precede Proceed Model. Phase 3 was to validate the developed strategies. The aim of validation was to collect and evaluate data, from the process design stage, the consistency and quality of the product or outcome of the strategies. The objectives to validate the strategies were to: determine the credibility of the strategies. The researcher used the non–experimental, intervention validation design to validated the credibility of the developed strategies. The developed strategies were given to the learners, guardians and Life Orientation teachers Vhembe and Mopani district. To collect data, the researcher used a checklist with 6 questions as outlined by Chin and Kramer (refer to table 6.4). Simple descriptive statistics was use where the data was summarized using the frequency distribution. / NRF

The aim of this study was to investigate the educators‟ perceptions of the effects of teenage pregnancy on the behaviour of secondary school learners in Mankweng area, Limpopo province. The study sought to establish whether teenage pregnancy has an effect on school attendance, school performance and emotional behaviour of pregnant learners as perceived by educators. Fourteen educators from seven secondary schools in Mankweng area were purposively sampled for the study. Data was collected using in-depth interviews to allow the researcher a platform to ask open-response questions and to explore the educators‟ perspectives about the effects of teenage pregnancy. The data was analysed thematically by carefully identifying and expanding significant themes that emerged from the informants‟ perceptions about the effects of teenage pregnancy. The study revealed that teenage pregnancy has a negative or detrimental effect on the school attendance, academic performance, emotional behaviour and relationships between pregnant teenagers, their peers and educators. The study recommends that sex education should be taken seriously in secondary schools; educators should liaise with health professionals in the community; pregnant learners to be supported and not humiliated or stigmatized by school stakeholders; educators to encourage teenagers to use preventative and protective measures and to encourage learners to delay engaging in sexual relationships. / Inclusive Education / M. Ed. (Inclusive Education)

Department of Public Health / MPH

MCur / Department of Advanced Nursing Science / The Department of Education has stated that parents and guardians may not be absolved from their responsibilities regarding their pregnant child, and they should take the lead in working with the school to support and monitor their child’s health and progress. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the role of parents regarding teenage pregnancy and school attendance in the rural village of Thomo in Mopani District Limpopo Province. The study is qualitative, explorative, descriptive and contextual in nature. The population comprised of the selected parents and caregivers residing at Thomo village of Mopani District. Purposive sampling was used to select 10 parents and 5 caregivers. Sampling size was determined by data saturation. Data was collected through in-depth individual interviews, guided by unstructured questions, data analysis was through open coding. Trustworthiness was ensured through credibility, dependability, conformability and transferability and ethical issues were adhered to. One main theme with four sub - themes emerged from the raw data; namely, parents /caregivers skills and personal factors that affect behaviour change; parents / caregivers intention to change the teenagers’ behaviour; environmental and cultural factors as facilitators/ barriers to pregnancy prevention and parent-school partnerships. Recommendations were made that included the following: awareness campaigns regarding prevention of teenage pregnancy; establishment of the compulsory education subject; review of existing teenage pregnancy policies; engaging parents on youth programs; using churches to strengthen youth education on the dangers of sex before marriage; as well as capacitating parents on effective communication with their children. / NRF

This study identified pregnancy-related challenges encountered by student nurses at SAMHS Nursing College, with an aim of identify factors contributing to student nurses' pregnancies as well as finding ways to deal and minimize the rate of the pregnancies amongst the student nurses. Thirty (30) structured interviews were conducted with student nurses who were pregnant and those who delivered their babies during the period 2002 to 2007. It has been revealed that ignorance is the major contributing factor for student nurses' pregnancies, 63% of the pregnancies were not planned, 52% of the respondents related their pregnancies to risk taking as they engaged in unprotected sex without the use of contraceptives, and thus it was concluded that student nurses are engaging themselves in risk behaviours and also engaging in unsafe sexual practices. The study also found that student nurses face physical, social, emotional as well as academic problems during pregnancy and after the delivery of their babies. Student nurses should be encouraged to use condoms and other methods of contraception, coupled with educating them on life skills, provision of recreational facilities; provision of counseling and support services may be the tool to minimise the unplanned pregnancies. / Health Studies / (M.A.(Public Health ))

This study identified pregnancy-related challenges encountered by student nurses at SAMHS Nursing College, with an aim of identify factors contributing to student nurses' pregnancies as well as finding ways to deal and minimize the rate of the pregnancies amongst the student nurses. Thirty (30) structured interviews were conducted with student nurses who were pregnant and those who delivered their babies during the period 2002 to 2007. It has been revealed that ignorance is the major contributing factor for student nurses' pregnancies, 63% of the pregnancies were not planned, 52% of the respondents related their pregnancies to risk taking as they engaged in unprotected sex without the use of contraceptives, and thus it was concluded that student nurses are engaging themselves in risk behaviours and also engaging in unsafe sexual practices. The study also found that student nurses face physical, social, emotional as well as academic problems during pregnancy and after the delivery of their babies. Student nurses should be encouraged to use condoms and other methods of contraception, coupled with educating them on life skills, provision of recreational facilities; provision of counseling and support services may be the tool to minimise the unplanned pregnancies. / Health Studies / (M.A.(Public Health ))