Problem of Pregnancy and Abortion on Girl-Child Education in Nigeria
Chapter One
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The general objectives of this study is to assess the correlation between pregnancy and abortion on the girl–child education in Nigeria using secondary school in Yaba local government as a case study.
The specific objectives however are:
- To find out and look into the problem of pregnancy and abortion on girl-child education performance that prevails in our secondary schools
- To study the causes of pregnancy and abortion on girl-child education.
- To identify the factors responsible for pregnancy and abortion on girl-child education.
- To study the remedies/ways of reducing pregnancy and abortion on girl-child education.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
Abortion among students
The prevalence of abortion among female students has resulted in a difficult feeling for the individual, both at a physical and mental level. Aware of the social shame of having undesirable pregnancies, numerous little youngsters who become pregnant look for premature birth as the best way to end undesirable pregnancies. So, it is but obvious to have some of complications after undergoing medical and surgical abortions (Carlsson, Breding and Larsson, 2018). Some female students experience feelings of guilt, sadness, remorse, shame, anger, and sadness following an abortion. These feelings probably indicate that they are experiencing normal grief and distress about all of the things they have been through. Beside the risks of unsafe abortion there are serious health risk complications involved in child bearing as an adolescent or teenager, they include; greater risk of pelvic bone immaturity, prolonged labour and otherwise difficult birth experience (Otoideet al., 2011).
Academic performance implies the scores or examination grade a student obtained at the end of a final year examination. Laosa, (2005) sees academic performance as the core of pillars on which the entire future personality stands. Academic performance has always been the centers of academic development of the child and it remains the most important goal of education. Academic performance of students can greatly be determined by a factors ranging from those present in the learner to those within the modifiable factors of the home of the student (Muhamed and Muhamed, 2010). One of the commonest issues facing undergraduate students is unwanted pregnancy followed by abortion (Adewoleet al, 2002).
In all, the incidence of abortion among female students has continued to be a very controversial and complex issue given its political, ethical, religious, and health dimensions which often lead to heated debates in public forums. In Nigeria, reports have it that 20%–40% of maternal deaths are linked to abortions (Orijiet al, 2009), with 610,000 abortions occurring yearly (Henshaw et al, 1998). The prevalence of abortion particularly among female students are; incidence of school drop-out and performing poorly in examinations, hence, when a young female becomes pregnant her physical, social, educational and career development is significantly altered (Cordingley 2014). Unfortunately, an unwanted child has consequences for the mother’s socioeconomic status, her educational attainment, her health, and her family development and this has serious economic and social repercussions for the larger society.
Causes of early Pregnancies
Peer Pressure: During adolescence, teenagers often feel pressure to make friends and fit in with their peers. Many times these teens let their friends influence their decision to have sex even when they do not fully understand the consequences associated with the act. Teenagers have sex as a way to appear cool and sophisticated, but in some cases the end result is an unplanned teen pregnancy (Langham, 2014). The Kaiser Family Foundation states that more than 29 percent of pregnant teens reported that they felt pressured to have sex, and 33 percent of pregnant teens stated that they felt that they were not ready for a sexual relationship, but proceeded anyway because they feared ridicule or rejection (Brophy & Honig, 2015). Teenage pregnancy statistics repmi that a total of 329,797 babies were born to women aged 15-19 years, for a live biiih rate of 31.3 per l ,000 women in this age group. America happens to have the highest rate of teenage birth compared to other industrialized states. Many teens, especially boys, feel pressured to be sexually active before they are even ready to take this step (William & Wallace, 20 16).
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Research design
The researcher used descriptive research survey design in building up this project work the choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to examine problem of pregnancy and abortion on girl child education in Nigeria
Sources of data collection
Data were collected from two main sources namely:
Primary source and
Secondary source
Primary source:
These are materials of statistical investigation which were collected by the research for a particular purpose. They can be obtained through a survey, observation questionnaire or as experiment; the researcher has adopted the questionnaire method for this study.
Secondary source:
These are data from textbook Journal handset etc. they arise as byproducts of the same other purposes. Example administration, various other unpublished works and write ups were also used.
Population of the study
Population of a study is a group of persons or aggregate items, things the researcher is interested in gathering information relevant to the examine the problem of pregnancy and abortion on girl child education in Nigeria. Two hundred (200) staffs and parents of selected secondary schools in Yaba, Lagos state were selected randomly by the researcher as the population of the study.
CHAPTER FOUR
ANALYSIS AND PRESENTATION OF DATA
One hundred and sixty (160) questionnaires were distributed and one hundred and forty (133) were returned. This figure was the sample size. Out of the one hundred and thirty-three, only one hundred and twenty (120) were properly responded to. As a result, the researcher used one hundred and twenty for this study when more than 50% of the respondents agree to the questions, the answer is taken as valid for the purpose of this study. In analyzing the data, the approach that will be adopted is to find out the percentage and positive and negative answers to the question posed.
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
Introduction
It is important to ascertain that the objective of this study was to ascertain problem of pregnancy and abortion on girl child education in Nigeria
In the preceding chapter, the relevant data collected for this study were presented, critically analyzed and appropriate interpretation given. In this chapter, certain recommendations made which in the opinion of the researcher will be of benefits in addressing the challenges of problem of pregnancy and abortion on girl child education in Nigeria
Summary
This study was on problem of pregnancy and abortion on girl child education in Nigeria. Four objectives were raised which included: To find out and look into the problem of pregnancy and abortion on girl-child education performance that prevails in our secondary schools, to study the causes of pregnancy and abortion on girl-child education, to identify the factors responsible for pregnancy and abortion on girl-child education and to study the remedies/ways of reducing pregnancy and abortion on girl-child education. The researcher used questionnaires as the instrument for the data collection. Descriptive Survey research design was adopted for this study. A total of 133 respondents made up of principals, principals adm, teachers and parents were used for the study. The data collected were presented in tables and analyzed using simple percentages and frequencies
Conclusion
It is concluded from the study that prevalence of teenage pregnancy and induced abortion is very high among in school adolescents in the study area. Youths programmes should be designed specifically to target adolescents to provide them with adequate knowledge on reproductive and sexual issues, change their attitude about sexual risk and motivate them to understand behaviour that reduce sexual risks especially the consistent use of condoms which has a dual purpose of both preventing unwanted pregnancies and also preventing sexually transmitted infections.
Recommendation
The schools can also do their part by providing the necessary information on preventing pregnancies and by encouraging teens to make responsible choices when having sex. Therefore, the responsibility of adults is to provide teens with a thorough understanding of abstinence, contraceptive techniques, and the consequences of sexual activity.
Teenage mothers must be aware of the tremendous effect their offspring will have on society in the future, and the high risk of the cycle repeating once this child becomes a teen. Teens must also be aware of the fact that an unplanned pregnancy will take a toll on other aspects of their lives. For example, as Fagan points out, less than one-third of teen moms who have a baby before they are eighteen finish high school.
References
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