Abstract:
This study investigated how education stakeholders in
South Africa and Zimbabwe responded to the policy of
mainstreaming pregnant learners in formal schools. The
study sample consisted of pregnant and former
pregnant learners, mainstream learners, parents,
teachers and community representatives on school
governing boards. The major findings were that: sociocultural
beliefs of the community on pregnancy were
more influential to educational access and participation
of pregnant teenagers than the official school policy;
stakeholders at both schools were found to have
inadequate knowledge and political will to assist
pregnant learners; and the South African school
provided a more open response to teenage pregnancy,
in contrast to concealment at the Zimbabwean school.
The paper posits that the policy on mainstreaming
pregnant teenagers in formal schools is largely a form of
political symbolism. An all-inclusive approach to policy formulation and implementation is recommended as an
intervention strategy to the problem.
