Supporting pregnant and mothering adolescents in their schooling: Insights for policy and practice

Adolescent parenthood is a significant issue in Sub-Saharan Africa, which can have adverse effects on mothers, their children and families. South Africa faces challenges in ensuring inclusive education for adolescent girls and young women due to high dropout rates resulting in and contributing to adolescent pregnancy. While a sound policy framework for pregnant and mothering adolescents exists, implementation challenges persist, emphasising the need for effective interventions to support pregnant and mothering adolescents return to and complete their schooling. This commentary brings together quantitative data from surveys with 1046 adolescent mothers in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province, coupled with participatory design incubators with young people (N = 13) in the same setting to provide implementation recommendations for policy and practice, with specific reference to the Department of Basic Education’s Policy on the Prevention and Management of Learner Pregnancy in Schools. Analysing across the two data sources involved using a socio-ecological lens that acknowledges the multi-level factors and longer-term trajectories that influence adolescent mothers’ schooling trajectories. Three inter-related implementation recommendations to support pregnant and mothering adolescents schooling emerge through data triangulation and analyses: (1) supportive school environment, (2) promoting peer-based support, and (3) establishing strong partnerships and referral mechanisms beyond the school setting. These recommendations are grounded in evidence, align with South Africa’s existing policy framework, and speak to the expressed needs of adolescents and young people, aiming to address the complex challenges faced by pregnant and mothering adolescents. Evidence-informed interventions to support pregnant and mothering adolescents schooling can ultimately contribute to health, education, and gender equality goals. Stakeholder engagement, especially co-design engagements with pregnant and mothering adolescents, and research, monitoring and evaluation to test intervention feasibility and acceptability are essential for refining and scaling-up interventions to improve the well-being of adolescent mothers and their children.