A STUDY OF THE CAUSES OF TEENAGE PREGNANCY AMONG FEMALE STUDENTS AND ITS EFFECTS ON THEIR ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE IN SECONDARY SCHOOL IN IKPOBA OKHA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA EDO STATE

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY

The number of teenagers giving birth each year is staggering. In fact of the slight more than 10% of young mothers are teenagers. Nigerian birth rate for adolescent is one of the highest in the world and the prevalence among female adolescent in Nigeria of sexually transmitted infection including HIV is climbing rapidly. In an effect to reduce her high pregnancy rate by teenagers including other problems, Nigerians developed a national reproduction health policy in the year 2000 that focuses on preventing risk sexual behaviour during adolescent (national Population Commission) Nigeria demographic and health survey 2004, Abuja Nigeria Commission 2006.

While sexual knowledge is higher among young people put of school sexual experience while in school pay prompt students to acquire sexual knowledge and to move out of school. In Nigeria, pregnancy and motherhood mark the end of school attendance and by 16 years, 21% female adolescent are either pregnant or have given birth. Teenagers face daily pressure from peers, they are expose to influence of TV movies, the music industry and internet etc unfortunately young ones are too inexperienced to handle the consequences of pregnancy.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS

This research work is to look into the causes of teenage pregnancy among female students and its effect. Millions of children return from school to an empty house because both parents are of the working class, which makes many teenagers less parents. Dysfunction families have set the stage for pregnancy. Many parents feel that their young ones will be taught sex education in school while the schools have failed to meet that demand. So good foundation of sex education both in school and at home, there is also the powerful influence of the media because teenager usually spend more likely to practice these behaviours in real life and have multiple sexual partners. In our computer age, children do not need to have computer in their homes before using one, the use of computer have increased in many country including Nigeria and sexual materials of all kinds are easily accessible through the internet.

Unsupervised internet use may expose teenagers to pornographic and sex chart room, some teenagers are willing to accept sex if they are paid and some adult encourage teenage sex by deliberately taking advantages of their being poor. Most parents fail to understand their children and do not have a close relationship with their children as a result, find it difficult to confide matters to their parents.