School return post-childbirth: barriers for Seychellois teenage mothers

Abstract

Teenage childbearing interferes with girls’ educational attainment in many settings, as it frequently marks the end of their basic education. In Seychelles despite numerous laws and policies to facilitate and support teenage mothers’ schooling, the number of teenage mothers returning to school remains low. We are unaware of the factors that may be hindering their return to their studies. An exploratory, qualitative study was conducted aimed at exploring the factors influencing Seychellois teenage mothers’ return to school after childbirth. A semi-structured interview guide was used during individual in depth interviews with a sample of six teenage mothers who returned and six who did not return to school, as well as four key informants. This paper reports only on the data on the barriers to school return. The findings suggest that the complex realities of teenage mothers’ lives are insufficiently considered, limiting young mothers’ educational options. It recommends measures to improve young school-going mothers’ return to school.