Inga P Ndjuluwa
It is a common and familiar topic to most every Namibian. However, is a worrisome concern to the Namibian parents. The majority of teenagers at schools encounter different forms of peer pressure, which affect their life and school progress. Pittman (2019, p.2) define Peer Pressure as “when people of your age persuade you to do something or to keep you from doing something else no matter if you agree to or not to”. Peer pressure is experienced mostly during the adolescence stage of a teenager as they go to their friends for advice and support. (CE Hendrick, 2016) stated that; girls with early pubertal timing are elevated risk for teenage childbearing. This article aim to create the awareness of the teenage pregnancies. First part will look to the factors contributing to the teenage pregnancies, and lastly will looked at how to improve on teenage pregnancies contributing factors.
Some of the causes of teenage pregnancy and childbearing are such as; poor or lower maternal education, being born to a teen mother, and father absence from the household (Driscoll & Abma, 2015 ). Moreover, causes of teenage pregnancy commonly also associated with environmental conditions where the child lives might also influence the risk for teenage pregnancy such as low level of parental monitoring, lower income and educational prospects and family, and community norms and culture of accepting of early childbearing (Meade et al., 2008)
In general, as I did my research on the teenage pregnancy; contributing factors are listed as follows: poverty is the main causes, gender inequalities, poor access to contraceptives, incorrect use of contraceptives to some who has access, gender-based violence, lack of parental supervision, and lack of positive child communication.
Furthermore, older learner are likely to influence the younger learners when it comes to dating, sexual behaviour and adopted current lifestyle. This can refer to materials such as: clothes and smart phones to able to fit in modern attractive lifestyle. As a result of maintain a certain lifestyle; they may be end up in a relationship with older man who can supply those needs. Learners may end up being manipulated victim due to the wrong desire through the wrong influences. Furthermore, leaners May be involved in unsafe sexual activities which lead to unplanned pregnancies as well as sexual transmitted diseases. In addition, teenage mother will be affected psychologically because she has multiple responsibilities for her education as well as for her baby to take care, which is not an easy task to carry. The same apply to the father- learner may be forced to drop out school to some occasion to look for a job to support his child. Similarly, to the parents of both the learners (learner-mother as well as the learner –father) encounter burdens for caring both the leaners as well as their child which was not part of their budget.
Teenage pregnancy affect the teenage life in many forms; when the teenage mother comes back to school after giving birth, life is no more the same as usual with his friends at school and to his class mates, to some funny and nutty school mates can call her different names due to her giving birth and to some occasion the funny teaches can do the same to the learner as well, which leads to the teen mother to drop school at early age and became part of the lower educational achievers and difficult of getting formal job or employment compare to their peers group.
In conclusion, parental monitoring and positive child communications need to be excised from both parents (mother and father). Awareness programs on peer pressure as well as learners’ sexual behaviour need to be introduced at all school in Namibia to prevent teenagers’ pregnancies increasement. When comes to the learners being involving in relationship with older individuals due to material items to maintain a certain standard of lifestyle; learners need to be encouraged to concentrate on their studies, once they finish their studies can able to afford and have all what they desire to have and able to live the kind of lifestyle they desire. Learner need to be touch what is the right thing to do and what need to be avoided for their future successful and to the Namibian nation at large because when you educate the youth you will have accountable and strong nation, which you can hold on. On another hand, when comes to community cultures and norms which accepting early childbearing, community need to be educated to what is now days applicable and reasons why are in use.
* Inga P Ndjuluwa is a postgraduate student at IUM (International University of Management), article on causes of teenagers’ pregnancy in Namibia is part of my English Proficiency Module.