PERSPECTIVES OF PRINCIPAL AND EDUCATORS REGARDING THE INCLUSION OF PREGNANT LEARNERS IN MAINSTREAM EDUCATION

Abstract

Section 29 (1) (a) of the Republic of South Africa Constitution (108 of 1996) states that everyone has a right to basic education. Section (9) points out that everyone has the right to be protected against unfair discrimination. This does not leave anyone out, whether pregnant or not. Furthermore, the Screening Identification, Assessment and Support policy (RSA 2014) also indicates that parents and educators are critical to the support for all the learners who require additional support that encourage their participation and inclusion in school. This qualitative case study investigated the perspectives of a high school principal and educators regarding the inclusion of pregnant learners in mainstream education. A purposive sample of 1 principal and 4 educators was selected from one high school in the central Free State province of South Africa. Semi-structured interviews with the sample were conducted with each individual. A thematic analysis was used to analyse the audio taped data after it were transcribed from the interveiws. The results showed that, educators expressed misgivings regarding pregnant learners’ attitude and behaviours after falling pregnant. Some learners sought to hide pregnancy from school authorities to avoid the bureauctic process and protocols that followed especially being regularly accomponied to school by parents. The principal and educators feel that educators are not adequately equiped to deal with pregnant learners’ issues especially in cases where the pregnancy is concealed. The study recommends that teachers should be offerred appropriate support in terms of knowledge and skills through periodic training to eanable them to offer social and psychological support to pregnant learners. Moreover, we recommend that all girl learners, be educated before and during pregnancy regarding official pregnancy policy and guidelines. Such strategies will hopefully create a conducive envirnonment where girl learners will talk freely about their status before getting appropriate support or considering dropping out of school.