Support for pregnant learners attending secondary schools in Tshwane, Gauteng Province, South Africa: Stakeholders' strategies

The South African Schools Act mandates that educators support expectant girls attending schools. Educators were revealed to be unprepared and unsupported in providing such support, compromising pregnant learners' right to education. This paper describes strategies that would support pregnant learners attending secondary schools in Tshwane District, Gauteng Province, South Africa. The study was conducted in three phases. The first phase was a needs analysis survey to obtain data from 221 Life Orientation educators in secondary schools. The survey results were used in the second phase to inform sessions with 21 conveniently sampled workshop participants to gather information, prioritise ideas and generate consensus. Finally, phase three was to develop strategies based on practice theory. Three strategies emerged: (1) provision of resources such as human, finance, material and supplies for schools; (2) empowerment of educators and learners; and (3) collaboration among the Departments of Health, Education, and Social Development. It was evident that education stakeholders realised their critical and essential role in promoting the health of pregnant learners and their unborn babies without jeopardising their right to basic education.