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EDS3701
Assignment 2 Memo
| Due 13 June 2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Year]
, Exam (elaborations)
EDS3701 Assignment 2 Memo | Due 13 June
2025
Course
Educational studies (EDS3701)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
EDS3701 Assignment 2 Memo | Due 13 June 2025. All questions fully
answered.
2.1 What is the cause of teenage pregnancies in South African primary
schools? (5)
Teenage pregnancies in South African primary schools are a complex issue with multiple
interconnected causes. While not exhaustive, the primary drivers can be broadly categorized as
follows:
1. Socioeconomic Factors:
Poverty and Inequality: This is a major underlying cause. Economic hardship can push
young girls into transactional sex relationships with older men ("sugar daddies") in
exchange for money, food, clothes, or other necessities for themselves or their families.
Areas with higher levels of poverty and limited access to resources often experience
higher rates of teenage pregnancy.
Child Support Grant: Some research suggests that the child support grant, while
intended to alleviate poverty, may inadvertently incentivize early pregnancies in some
cases, as a child can bring a source of income.
Lack of Economic Opportunities: Limited prospects for education and employment can
lead young girls to view motherhood as an alternative path or a means to gain status and a
sense of belonging.
2. Lack of Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Reproductive Health Services:
Inadequate Knowledge: Many primary school-aged children lack sufficient knowledge
about sexual and reproductive health, including contraception, the risks of unprotected
sex, and how pregnancy occurs. This can be due to a lack of proper sex education at
home and sometimes insufficient or ineffective education within schools.
Limited Access to Contraception: Even when aware, primary school-aged girls often
face barriers to accessing contraception, such as restrictive policies, lack of
confidentiality, stigma, and geographical distance to health services.
Poor Communication: There's often a lack of open communication about sex and
sexuality within families, with parents sometimes considering these topics taboo. This
leaves children vulnerable and uninformed.
EDS3701
Assignment 2 Memo
| Due 13 June 2025
NO PLAGIARISM
[Year]
, Exam (elaborations)
EDS3701 Assignment 2 Memo | Due 13 June
2025
Course
Educational studies (EDS3701)
Institution
University Of South Africa (Unisa)
EDS3701 Assignment 2 Memo | Due 13 June 2025. All questions fully
answered.
2.1 What is the cause of teenage pregnancies in South African primary
schools? (5)
Teenage pregnancies in South African primary schools are a complex issue with multiple
interconnected causes. While not exhaustive, the primary drivers can be broadly categorized as
follows:
1. Socioeconomic Factors:
Poverty and Inequality: This is a major underlying cause. Economic hardship can push
young girls into transactional sex relationships with older men ("sugar daddies") in
exchange for money, food, clothes, or other necessities for themselves or their families.
Areas with higher levels of poverty and limited access to resources often experience
higher rates of teenage pregnancy.
Child Support Grant: Some research suggests that the child support grant, while
intended to alleviate poverty, may inadvertently incentivize early pregnancies in some
cases, as a child can bring a source of income.
Lack of Economic Opportunities: Limited prospects for education and employment can
lead young girls to view motherhood as an alternative path or a means to gain status and a
sense of belonging.
2. Lack of Comprehensive Sexuality Education and Reproductive Health Services:
Inadequate Knowledge: Many primary school-aged children lack sufficient knowledge
about sexual and reproductive health, including contraception, the risks of unprotected
sex, and how pregnancy occurs. This can be due to a lack of proper sex education at
home and sometimes insufficient or ineffective education within schools.
Limited Access to Contraception: Even when aware, primary school-aged girls often
face barriers to accessing contraception, such as restrictive policies, lack of
confidentiality, stigma, and geographical distance to health services.
Poor Communication: There's often a lack of open communication about sex and
sexuality within families, with parents sometimes considering these topics taboo. This
leaves children vulnerable and uninformed.
