Teaching and learning coping strategies adopted by teenage mothers during coronavirus disease lockdown in Makhado Municipality, Limpopo Province.

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic exposed inequalities in access to technology between rich and poor, rural, and urban, girls and boys and across and within countries. The other negative social and health related impacts that COVID-19 and related restrictions had on the poorest, most marginalized, and vulnerable sectors of society are likely to have been disproportionately affected by school closures due to COVID-19. Teenage mothers living in rural areas have fewer resources such as access to the internet, smartphones, and computers to adapt to and implement measures needed to continue with online learning during school closures. The aim of the study was to explore and describe teaching and learning coping strategies adopted by teenage mothers in the rural communities of Makhado Municipality during the coronavirus disease lockdown in Limpopo Province, South Africa. Design: The study adopted a qualitative critical participatory action research through the community engagement approach. Methods: Purposive and snowballing recruitment were employed in this study. Methods of generation of data included semi-structured face-to-face interviews which were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim, and participatory arts were also applied to generate data. Data was analysed using qualitative thematic analysis. Findings: Thematic analysis of data revealed that teenage mothers experienced challenges such as stigma and discrimination, stress, inability to cope with self-study, financial constraints in caring for and supporting their babies, lack of gadgets and the internet essential for home learning, and inconsistent support from parents and teachers. Recommendations: Policies need be reviewed to address the issue of stigmatization and discrimination in schools. Authorities in education need to be geared in enriching social change towards transformative learning and addressing the issue of the digital divide in rural communities. Conclusion: It was concluded that the COVID-19 pandemic has broadened a huge gap between the rich and the poor, urban and rural learners. It was concluded by the researcher that there was evidence of social segregation and social injustice for teenage mothers in teaching and learning.