TEENAGE PREGNANCY

Approach

The Philippines teenage pregnancy rate has increased by 60% in the year 2000- 2010, according to the
Philippine National Statistics Office. This is very alarming. Teenage pregnancy often occurs between the
ages of 15-19 years old, often in this age the girls are still studying.

With early pregnancy the girls usually have to abandon their education to give birth or raise their child.
Girls who become pregnant are expelled from school especially in a Catholic School like Lourdes College
because it goes against the moral teachings of the school thus delaying the chance of earning a degree that
will help them in providing for their child. Education becomes a lesser priority and is often delayed until
they are able to leave the children at home are financially stable. But there are girls who are studying as
well as taking care of their child and they are who we call Student Mothers. The burdens for these girls
have double as to they have to take care of school as well as their child at home.

The life of a Student Mother is no easy feat they have to juggle their time between attending their classes,
making their requirements, taking care of their child and taking care of the house. They become the
primary caregiver of their child and are expected to rear their child well. Many of these student mothers
also engage in working part-time to help in the financial burdens of both studying and caring for the child.
But, this becomes another disadvantage as it takes up time and effort on the part of the Student Mother.

Objectives

This study aims to understand how student’s mothers handle their situation to their studies and how to
sustain their child

Questions:

1. What are the experiences student mothers?

2. What has helped them most in their situation?

Answers:

1. The experience student mothers they are left behind by others and always feeling angry, lonely
and not joining with their friends
2. She can see her child growing and it makes her to feel happy and strong

Research Design

In this study a qualitative exploratory design was used, allowing the researchers to get an in-depth
understanding of the socio-educational problems faced by Student Mothers. Qualitative research has the
advantage of uncovering the lived experiences of individuals by enabling them to interpret and attribute
meaning to their experiences and in the process construct their worlds (Merriam and Simpson 2000, as
cited in Berg &Mamhute, 2013)
Scope and Limitation

The study covered three (3) student mothers of Lourdes College Higher Education Department, enrolled
in the second semester of S.Y. 2014-2015. The study was mainly focused on the student mother
challenges, coping strategies and realizations. These student mothers were classified as students of
Lourdes College that have a child under seven (7) years of age.

Variables

Respondents of the study are the student mothers of Lourdes College, in the second semester of S.Y.
2014-2015. There were a number of three (3) identified single mothers in Lourdes College who
volunteered and provided time to participate in this study.

Form

The primary tool used in gathering data was in a form of a one-on-one interview with the respondents.
The interview was focused on the challenges, coping strategies, realizations of student mothers.

POV

In this study, the researcher used purposive sampling in which the researcher chose only student mothers
who are caring for a child below seven (7) years of age and are studying in Lourdes College.

Data collection and analysis

Prior to data gathering, the researcher prepared an informed consent letter to be given to the respondents
of the study, voluntary participation was highly emphasized in the letter of consent.

The data-gathering procedure was done in a form of one-to-one interview in which the researcher took
written notes. All interviews were tape recorded. The interviews were informal and open ended, and
carried out in a conversational style.

Results

1. Profile of respondents

2. Experiences of Student Mothers.

3. Coping strategies of student mothers

4. Factors that helped them

5. Learnings of student mothers

Conclusion

Time management is the main reason of it because you need to divide your time between your and taking
care of your child