kiarie antony kimemia final project

136 Pages·2015·0.54 MB·English

FACTORS INFLUENCING TEENAGE PREGNANCY IN PUBLIC SECONDARY
SCHOOLS IN IMENTI NORTH SUB COUNTY, MERU COUNTY, KENYA

BY

KIARIE ANTONY KIMEMIA

A RESEARCH PROJECT SUBMITTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE
REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF A DEGREE OF MASTERS OF ARTS IN
PROJECT PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT OF THE UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI

2015
DECLARATION
I declare that this project is my own original work and it has not been presented in this or any
other institution for the award of a masters degree, degree or diploma.

Signature: ………………………………… Date: ……………………………….
Name: Kiarie Antony Kimemia
L50/71258/2014

This research project has been presented for examination with my approval as the university
supervisor.

Signature: ……………………………….. Date: …………………………………..
Dr. Mercy Mugambi
Lecturer,
School of Education,
University of Nairobi

i
DEDICATION
This work is dedicated to my loving wife Purity Nkirote and my son Ethan Kiarie for their
moral support during the period of struggle for this degree. Their contribution towards my
success is invaluable.

ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I thank The University of Nairobi for offering me a chance to take a course in Masters of Arts
degree in Project Planning and Management. I also do to acknowledge the efforts of all the
lecturers who took me through the course and especially Dr. John Wanjohi who taught me
Research Methods. I must be grateful to my supervisor Dr. Mercy Mugambi University of
Nairobi for her encouragement, supervision and guidance from the formulation of my
research topic to the conclusion of this research proposal. I would not have gone far without
her support and constructive criticism. I must also greatly appreciate the respondents for been
cooperative and taking their time to answer this study’s questionnaires. It is their invaluable
contribution that has made this study success.
I most sincerely appreciate the staff at The University of Nairobi Meru Extra-mural studies
for the support and training I have received. They have impacted great knowledge in me.
Lastly, my regards goes to my peers in the Masters of Arts degree in Project Planning and
Management for their support and direction in any respect towards the completion of this
research project.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
DECLARATION ....................................................................................................................... i
DEDICATION .......................................................................................................................... ii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ....................................................................................................... iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ......................................................................................................... iv
LIST OF FIGURES ................................................................................................................ vii
LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................................. viii
ABBREVIATIONS AND ACRONYMS ..................................................................................x
ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................. xi
CHAPTER ONE:INTRODUCTION .....................................................................................1
1.1. Background to the Study ............................................................................................. 1
1.2 Statement of the Problem ............................................................................................ 4
1.3 Purpose of the Study ................................................................................................... 5
1.4 Objectives of the Study ............................................................................................... 6
1.5 Research Questions ..................................................................................................... 6
1.6 Significance of the Study ............................................................................................ 6
1.7 Delimitation of the Study ............................................................................................ 7
1.8 Limitations of the Study .............................................................................................. 7
1.9 Assumptions of the Study ........................................................................................... 7
1.10 Definitions of Significant Terms ................................................................................. 7
1.11 Organization of The study ........................................................................................... 8
CHAPTER TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................9
2.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 9
2.2 Cultural Factors and Teenage Pregnancy .................................................................... 9
2.3 Economic Factors and Teenage Pregnancy ............................................................... 13
2.4 Electronic Media and Teenage Pregnancy ................................................................ 16
2.5 Peer Group Pressure and Teenage Pregnancy ........................................................... 20
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2.6 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................. 23
2.7 Conceptual Framework ............................................................................................. 25
2.8 Summary of Literature Review ...................................................................................... 26
CHAPTER THREE:RESEARCH METHODOLOGY .....................................................28
3.1 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 28
3.2 Research Design ........................................................................................................ 28
3.3 Target Population ...................................................................................................... 28
3.4 Sample size and sampling procedure ........................................................................ 29
3.5 Methods of Data Collection ...................................................................................... 30
3.6 Validity of Research Instruments .............................................................................. 31
3.7 Instrument Reliability ................................................................................................ 31
3.8 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................ 32
3.9 Operationalization of Variables ..................................................................................... 34
3.10 Ethical Considerations.................................................................................................. 36
CHAPTER FOUR:DATA ANALYSIS, PRESENTATION AND INTERPRETATION
………………………………………………………………………………………………37
4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 37
4.2 Response Rate ................................................................................................................ 37
4.3 Analysis of Demographic Data ...................................................................................... 37
4.4 Cultural Factors and Teenage Pregnancy ....................................................................... 42
4.5 Economic Factors and Teenage Pregnancy .................................................................... 51
4.6 Electronic Media and Teenage Pregnancy ..................................................................... 54
4.7 Peer Group Pressure and Teenage Pregnancy ................................................................ 65
4.8 Correlation Analysis ....................................................................................................... 73
CHAPTER FIVE:SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, DISCUSSIONS, CONCLUSIONS AND
RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................................................................75
5.1 Introduction .................................................................................................................... 75
5.2 Summary of Findings ..................................................................................................... 75
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5.2.1 Cultural Factors and Teenage Pregnancy ............................................................... 75
5.2.2 Economic Factors And Teenage Pregnancy ........................................................... 76
5.2.3 Electronic Media and Teenage Pregnancy .............................................................. 76
5.2.4 Peer Pressure And Teenage Pregnancy................................................................... 77
5.3 Discussion ...................................................................................................................... 79
5.3.1 Cultural Factors and Teenage Pregnancy ............................................................... 79
5.3.2 Economic Factors and Teenage Pregnancy ............................................................ 79
5.3.3 Electronic Media and Teenage Pregnancy .............................................................. 81
5.3.4 Peer Pressure and Teenage Pregnancy .................................................................... 82
5.4 Conclusion ...................................................................................................................... 83
5.5 Recommendations .......................................................................................................... 84
5.6 Suggestion for Further Studies ....................................................................................... 85
REFERENCES ........................................................................................................................86
APPENDICES .......................................................................................................................103
Appendix I: Letter Of Transmittal Of Data Collection Instruments ...................................... 103
Appendix II:Class Teachers Questionnaire ...........................................................................104
Appendix III:Students Questionnaire ....................................................................................113
Appendix IV:Education Officers Interview Guide ................................................................124

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LIST OF FIGURES
Page
Figure 1: Conceptual Framework ………………………………………………………….. 27

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LIST OF TABLES
Table 1.1: Teenage Pregnancy rates as per 3 Sub Counties in Meru County for 5 years……5
Table 3.1: Target Population……………………………………………………………….. 29
Table 3.2: Sampling Frame…………………...…………………………………………….. 30
Table 3.3: Operational Definition of Variables………………………………………..….….35
Table 4.1: Response Rate ......................................................................................................... 37
Table 4.2: Age bracket of the teachers ..................................................................................... 38
Table 4.3: Gender of the Respondents ..................................................................................... 38
Table 4.4: Highest level of education ...................................................................................... 39
Table 4.5: Teacher training on sex education .......................................................................... 39
Table 4.6: Students exposure to sex education in their school ................................................ 40
Table 4.7: Students ever being pregnant/fathered a child ........................................................ 40
Table 4.8: Knowledge of teenagers currently pregnant or has been pregnant and had to drop
out of school ............................................................................................................................. 41
Table 4.9: Decision to allow teenage pregnant girls should be allowed to stay in school until
they deliver............................................................................................................................... 41
Table 4.10: Teachers cultural background hindering them from teaching sex education ....... 42
Table 4.11: Parents talk to children about sex ......................................................................... 43
Table 4.12: Reasons for parents not talking about sex ............................................................ 43
Table 4.13: Parents talking to students about sex .................................................................... 44
Table 4.14: Students preference on whom to talk about sex with ........................................... 44
Table 4.15: Parental communication about sex and children becoming pregnant/ fathering a
child.......................................................................................................................................... 45
Table 4.16: Decision on boys being allowed to have sex at whatever age even if they risk
impregnating girls .................................................................................................................... 45
Table 4. 17: Early marriage and teenage pregnancy ................................................................ 46
Table 4.18: Girls being held solely responsible in the event of pregnancy ............................. 46
Table 4.19 : Students risking being pregnant/fathering a child during their teen years just to
prove their fertility/manhood ................................................................................................... 47
Table 4.20: Parents supporting the return to school of teenage pregnant girls ........................ 47
Table 4.21: Marital status of the parent /parents...................................................................... 48
Table 4.22: Parental marital status and teenage pregnancy ..................................................... 48
Table 4.23: Teachers level of agreement with statements on culture and teenage pregnancy 49
Table 4.24: Student level of agreement with statements on cultural factors and teenage
pregnancy ................................................................................................................................. 50
Table 4.25: Parents occupation ................................................................................................ 51
Table 4.26: Parents level of education ..................................................................................... 52
Table 4.27: Level of education of parents and teenage pregnancy .......................................... 52
Table 4.28: Students being sent home for school fees ............................................................. 53
Table 4.29: Statements on economic factors and teenage pregnancy ...................................... 53
Table 4.30: Electronic media influencing teenagers to have sex at an early age ..................... 54
Table 4.31: Decision on teaching the influence of electronic media on teenage sex in
secondary schools .................................................................................................................... 55
Table 4.32: Social media that significantly influences teenage sex ......................................... 55
Table 4.33: Media devices usage by students at home or at school ........................................ 56
Table 4.34: Material students look for using the electronic media indicated .......................... 57
Table 4.35: Mobile phone ownership and usage among students ........................................... 58
Table 4.36: Students in the school report being solicited for sex ............................................ 58
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Table 4.37 Frequency of students listening to sexually explicit music on their mobile phones
.................................................................................................................................................. 59
Table 4.38: Frequency of students sexting in class.................................................................. 60
Table 4.39: Frequency of students connecting to the internet ................................................. 60
Table 4.40: Topics that students chat about with people ......................................................... 61
Table 4.41: Student activities using in the internet .................................................................. 61
Table 4.42: Students seeing any sexual images or heard sexual discussions .......................... 62
Table 4.43: Topics students discuss on social networking sites .............................................. 63
Table 4.44: Level of agreement with statements on electronic media and teenage pregnancy
.................................................................................................................................................. 64
Table 4.45: Students considering themselves sexually active ................................................. 65
Table 4.46: Age of student during their first encounter ........................................................... 66
Table 4.47: Reason for first sexual intercourse ....................................................................... 66
Table 4.48: Students use of contraception during last sexual encounter ................................. 67
Table 4.49: Reason for not using the contraception ................................................................ 67
Table 4.50: Student Knowledge of people their own age who have had sex .......................... 68
Table 4.51: Students afraid of losing a boyfriend/girlfriend by not having sex ...................... 68
Table 4.52: Teacher handling cases of students being pressurized to have sex by their friends
.................................................................................................................................................. 69
Table 4.53: Influence of peer groups pressure lead on teenage pregnancy ............................. 69
Table 4.54: School reports on peer pressure ............................................................................ 70
Table 4.55: Teachers agreement with statements on peer group pressure and teenage
pregnancy ................................................................................................................................. 70
Table 4.56: Students agreement with statements on peer pressure and teenage pregnancy .... 71
Table 4.57: Teenage pregnancy as a major cause of school dropout in the school ................. 72
Table 4.58: Teenage pregnancy as major health risk for teenage girls .................................... 72
Table 4.59: Correlation Matrix ............................................................................................... 74
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