Responsibilities and Challenges of Student Mothers in Tanzania’s Secondary Schools

Adolescent motherhood poses significant challenges, especially for student mothers who must juggle parenting and education, unlike their peers who either attend school without children or parent without engaging in education. This paper explores the responsibilities and challenges faced by adolescent student mothers in secondary schools in Tanzania. An embedded single case study approach was employed, focusing on student mothers as the primary case and five secondary schools as units of analysis. Data were gathered through open-ended questionnaires and focus group discussions and analysed thematically. Insights from 20 purposively chosen student mothers indicated that they manage numerous responsibilities both inside and outside the school setting. These responsibilities include academic, parental, entrepreneurial, and marital duties (especially within convenience marriages). The overlap of these roles led to role conflict, frequent absenteeism, diminished focus in class, discrimination, and stigmatisation, all of which collectively obstructed their academic achievements. The study underscores the pressing need for targeted interventions from education stakeholders, including parents, teachers, and policymakers, to cultivate a supportive environment. The study concludes that support should include financial aid and comprehensive guidance and counselling services to improve the educational experiences of student mothers.