IMPACT OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY ON THE ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE OF FEMALE SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE AWKA SOUTH LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF ANAMBRA STATE

Abstract

Teenage pregnancy is one major contemporary social problem confronting mostcountries in the world, including Nigeria. This despicable situation has createdseveral problems, most especially for teenage females in their health andacademic endeavours. Thus, this study investigated the impact of teenagepregnancy on the academic performance of female secondary school students inthe Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State. The study adoptedfunctionalist theory as its theoretical foundation, and it employed a crosssectionalsurvey design and multi-stage sampling technique, where a total of 171Senior Secondary Students aged 15–17 were randomly sampled using astructured questionnaire and in-depth interviews. The collected data werepresented and analysed using descriptive statistics such as percentages, frequencydistribution tables, and charts. Interviews were transcripted and analysed with thethematic method of data analysis. Findings revealed that there is a higherprevalence of teenage pregnancy in rural secondary schools than in urbansecondary schools as a result of a lack of access to sex education in rural families,a lack of sex awareness in rural secondary schools, the influence of bad friends,and poor parenting among others. A number of implications for female secondaryschool students include stigmatisation, suspension or expulsion from school,missing classes, and repeating classes. In conclusion, it was recommended thatthere is a need to develop effective measures to enhance the transition of teenagemothers from one class to another in all secondary schools.