Life Orientation and Adolescent Pregnancy in Selected Secondary Schools in Blue Crane Route Municipality, Eastern Cape Province, South Africa

Abstract

Abstract Adolescent pregnancy among the students has become a growing concern for the communities and a life orientation was instituted by the Department of Education as a preventive measure. The aim of the study was to explore the relation between life orientation and adolescent pregnancies in the selected secondary schools in the Blue Crane Route Municipality. Qualitative data was obtained through semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions conducted with the students, social workers and the life orientation educators. The data were analysed thematically using content analytic techniques. The findings revealed that life orientation did not reduce adolescent pregnancies in the Blue Crane Route Municipality. Furthermore, the majority of the youth within this municipality lived in extreme poverty and opt falling pregnant at an early age to receive a social grant (child support grant) as a means of income for the household. Also, despite being educated on contraception as the means of pregnancy prevention, the students did not use the contraception especially condoms because of the peer-pressure. Therefore, massive unemployment in this Municipality led to the poverty stricken households with its many ramifications. It is recommended that it would be beneficial to this Municipality to request health care practitioners to visit the high schools at least once per month to avail contraception to the female students.