Expanding Access to Education for Teenage Mothers in Kenya

  • P Project/Program

I Inactive

Key Information

The Population Council has designed, implemented, and evaluated a program in Kenya to help teenage mothers return to school. 

Homa Bay County in the former Nyanza Province of Kenya is characterized by high unintended teenage pregnancy rates. Despite a policy that allows teenage mothers to return to school, the County has a high female school dropout rate. Past research in the region has highlighted three main hurdles:

  • School personnel lack clarity about the re-entry policy
  • Teenage mothers, their parents, and their communities are unaware of the rights of teen mothers to return to school
  • Ministries of Education have neglected to monitor the implementation of school re-entry policies for parenting girls.

This project aims to clarify, revitalize, and promote the existing policy and accelerate its implementation by the Ministry of Education and school administrators. Components of this evidence-based Council program are currently being used by the Kenya Ministry of Education to promote school re-entry for out-of-school parenting and pregnant girls in Homa Bay County and beyond.

Lead Implementing Organization(s)

Location(s)

Sub-Saharan Africa

Kenya

Activity URL

https://www.popcouncil.org/research/expanding-access-to-secondary-school-education-for-teenage-mothers-in-kenya

Government Affiliation

Government-affiliated program

Years

2014 - 2022

Partner(s)

Directorate of Policy, Partnerships, and East African Community Affairs, Well Told Story

Ministry Affiliation

Kenya Ministry of Education, Homa Bay County Department of Education

Funder(s)

Anonymous Donor

COVID-19 Response

Adapted

Geographic Scope

National

Areas of Work Back to Top

Education areas

Attainment

  • Primary completion
  • Primary enrollment
  • Secondary completion
  • Secondary Enrollment

Cross-cutting areas

  • Adolescent pregnancy/childbearing

Program participants

Target Audience(s)

Girls (both in school and out of school), Youth

Age

12 - 19

School Enrolment Status

Some in school

School Level

  • Lower primary
  • Upper primary
  • Lower secondary
  • Upper secondary

Other populations reached

  • Boys in school
  • Community leaders
  • Fathers
  • Mothers
  • Other community members - female
  • Other community members - male
  • School administrators
  • Teachers - female
  • Teachers - male

Participants include

Not applicable or unknown

Program Approaches Back to Top

Increased availability of learning materials

  • Educational Radio or Television Programs

Other

  • Coordinated Action

Policy/legal environment

  • Developing/promoting new laws/policies

Social/gender norms change

  • Engaging parents/caregivers of students or school-age children/adolescents
  • Work with community leaders

Women's empowerment programs

  • Advocacy/action

Program Goals Back to Top

Education goals

  • Education sector plans, budgets, policies, and data systems are more gender-equitable
  • Increased enrolment in primary school
  • Increased primary school completion
  • Increased re-enrolment in school among out-of-school children
  • Increased secondary school completion
  • Increased secondary school enrolment
  • Increased years of schooling
  • Teachers and learners have the knowledge and skills to promote gender equality

Cross-cutting goals

Not applicable or unknown

Additional Information Back to Top

Primary Contact

Chi-Chi Undie
Population Council
Senior Associate
cundie@popcouncil.org