Coping with dual roles: a case of adolescent student mothers in Tanzania’s secondary schools

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dc.contributor.authorMwakililo, Pendo Samson
dc.contributor.authorMauki, Chris Mungubariki
dc.contributor.authorLyakurwa, Suitbert Emil
dc.date.accessioned2026-03-11T10:45:53Z
dc.date.available2026-03-11T10:45:53Z
dc.date.issued2024
dc.descriptionResearch paper
dc.description.abstractPurpose – This paper aims to examine adolescent student mothers in Tanzania’s secondary schools’ unique coping strategies. It intends to explore strategies adolescent student mothers use in coping with the challenges of managing motherhood concurrent with schooling in the context of Tanzania’s secondary schools. Design/methodology/approach – The study employed a qualitative single-case study design, involving 35 adolescent student mothers and 5 class teachers selected through purposive sampling. Data collection methods included focus group discussions for adolescent student mothers and semi-structured interviews for class teachers, facilitating insights into their coping strategies, and the contextual factors guiding their choices of certain coping strategies. Thematic analysis ensured systematic analysis of the data. Findings – The findings indicate that adolescent student mothers use coping strategies like relying on interpersonal support systems, skipping schooling for some days, bringing with them their children to school, getting into convenience marriages, involving in income-generating ventures, ignoring and relying on faith and spiritual support. Research limitations/implications – This research will be beneficial to adolescent student mothers, parents and schools and will add a contribution to this field. However, the coping strategies identified were limited to a small sample from a selected region and schools, hence cannot be used for generalization to a larger population. Practical implications – This research will assist policymakers in evaluating and reassessing the re-admission policy to create more conducive environments that suit adolescent student mothers’ situations. This will create a supportive environment that fosters the well-being of adolescent student mothers and their children. Social implications – The findings of this paper will be useful in understanding the coping strategies employed by student mothers and how educational modifications can be implemented to suit adolescent student mothers’ situations. Originality/value – The research was conducted after introducing the re-admission circular to primary and secondary schools in Tanzania, and the findings derived from it are original.
dc.description.sponsorshipHEET Project
dc.identifier.citationDOI 10.1108/AEDS-07-2024-0158
dc.identifier.issn2046-3170
dc.identifier.urihttps://www.suaire.sua.ac.tz/handle/20.500.14820/7373
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherEmerald Publishing Limited
dc.relation.ispartofseriesAsian Education and Development Studies Vol. 14 No. 1, 2025 pp. 84-102
dc.subjectAdolescent student mothers
dc.subjectSecondary schools
dc.subjectCoping strategies
dc.subjectMotherhood
dc.subjectSchooling
dc.titleCoping with dual roles: a case of adolescent student mothers in Tanzania’s secondary schools
dc.typeArticle

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