Teaching and learning coping strategies adopted by teenage mothers during coronavirus disease lockdown in Makhado Municipality, Limpopo Province.
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Date
2023
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Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed inequalities in access to technology
between rich and poor, rural, and urban, girls and boys and across and within
countries. The other negative social and health related impacts that COVID-19 and
related restrictions had on the poorest, most marginalized, and vulnerable sectors of
society are likely to have been disproportionately affected by school closures due to
COVID-19. Teenage mothers living in rural areas have fewer resources such as
access to the internet, smartphones, and computers to adapt to and implement
measures needed to continue with online learning during school closures. The aim of
the study was to explore and describe teaching and learning coping strategies adopted
by teenage mothers in the rural communities of Makhado Municipality during the
coronavirus disease lockdown in Limpopo Province, South Africa.
Design: The study adopted a qualitative critical participatory action research through
the community engagement approach.
Methods: Purposive and snowballing recruitment were employed in this study.
Methods of generation of data included semi-structured face-to-face interviews which
were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and participatory arts were also applied to
generate data. Data was analysed using qualitative thematic analysis.
Findings: Thematic analysis of data revealed that teenage mothers experienced
challenges such as stigma and discrimination, stress, inability to cope with self-study,
financial constraints in caring for and supporting their babies, lack of gadgets and the
internet essential for home learning, and inconsistent support from parents and
teachers.
Recommendations: Policies need be reviewed to address the issue of stigmatisation
and discrimination in schools. Authorities in education need to be geared in enriching
social change towards transformative learning and addressing the issue of the digital
divide in rural communities.
Conclusion: It was concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic has broadened a huge
gap between the rich and the poor, urban and rural learners. It was concluded by the
researcher that there was evidence of social segregation and social injustice for
teenage mothers in teaching and learning.
Description
Masters Degree. University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban.