Exploration of Teenage Mother Students’ Challenges in Secondary Schools in Tanzania: A Case of Ifakara, Morogoro

Joseph Timothy & Cosmas Juhudi
Department of Education Management and Policy Studies
The University of Dodoma Tanzania
Email: timot.nzumbi@gmail.com

Abstract: This study was carried out in Ifakara town council in Morogoro region Tanzania, to explore challenges faced by teenage mothers upon returning to school as mothers and students in public secondary school settings in Tanzania. The study was qualitative in nature and employed phenomenological research design because it is wholly focused on understanding the experiences of others. The study used an interpretative phenomenological research design to explore the challenges faced by teenage mother students in public ordinary secondary schools where interview and focus group discussion were employed. The findings of the study revealed that; teenage mothers experience a number of challenges, including increased burden of responsibilities, time management, insufficient physical, and moral support from peers and teachers at school, family, and society as well as financial challenges. This situation has resulted into a failure to achieve their desired goals and expectations and hence has led to poverty. The study recommends that: The government should find a way to allocate the teenage mothers in boarding secondary; Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, through Secondary Education quality Improvement Program should extend the support to reach as many as possible teenage mothers to not only finance their education but also their individual needs; NGOs which are dedicated to help teenage mothers to collaborate with the ministry of education to create awareness to the society through school visits and the use of radio, televisions, and other social media to eliminate stigmatization of the teenage mothers at the family, school, and society level.