From policy to practice: Inclusion, exclusion, and the gendered realities of school re-entry programme for teenage mothers in Tanzania

This study explored teenage mothers' narratives on challenges and resilience in alternative secondary education pathways (ASEP). ASEP refers to flexible secondary-level education arrangements delivered through dedicated centres that offer modular and non-formal pathways for learners who are una...

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Main Authors: Nalailaa, Stephano, Massawe, Hanifa
Format: Article
Language:en_US
Published: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE AND YOUTH 2026
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Online Access:https://scholar.mzumbe.ac.tz/handle/123456789/2048
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author Nalailaa, Stephano
Massawe, Hanifa
author_facet Nalailaa, Stephano
Massawe, Hanifa
author_sort Nalailaa, Stephano
collection DSpace
description This study explored teenage mothers' narratives on challenges and resilience in alternative secondary education pathways (ASEP). ASEP refers to flexible secondary-level education arrangements delivered through dedicated centres that offer modular and non-formal pathways for learners who are unable to attend mainstream schools, including teenage mothers. The study employed a qualitative perspective, integrating attachment, identity, self-efficacy, and critical race theory. It involved seventy (70) teenage mothers from purposively selected ASEP centres in Morogoro, Mwanza, Mara and Singida, using interviews, questionnaires and documentary reviews. The study revealed that most teenage mothers felt that parenthood strengthened their schooling commitment but faced stigma and self-doubt due to parenting duties. Some legal and systemic barriers limit educational participation, predicting further exclusion from sustainable economic growth. Recommendations push for flexible schedules, modular curricula, and alternative learning pathways to accommodate teenage mothers' parenting responsibilities, and data-driven frameworks for monitoring ASEP's.
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institution Mzumbe University
language en_US
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publisher INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE AND YOUTH
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spelling ir-:123456789-20482026-06-24T18:48:53Z From policy to practice: Inclusion, exclusion, and the gendered realities of school re-entry programme for teenage mothers in Tanzania Nalailaa, Stephano Massawe, Hanifa Teenage mothers Alternative Secondary Education Pathways Critical race theory Morogoro Mwanza Mara Singida School re-entry program – Tanzania Education and Training Policy of 2014 National Re-Entry Guidelines This study explored teenage mothers' narratives on challenges and resilience in alternative secondary education pathways (ASEP). ASEP refers to flexible secondary-level education arrangements delivered through dedicated centres that offer modular and non-formal pathways for learners who are unable to attend mainstream schools, including teenage mothers. The study employed a qualitative perspective, integrating attachment, identity, self-efficacy, and critical race theory. It involved seventy (70) teenage mothers from purposively selected ASEP centres in Morogoro, Mwanza, Mara and Singida, using interviews, questionnaires and documentary reviews. The study revealed that most teenage mothers felt that parenthood strengthened their schooling commitment but faced stigma and self-doubt due to parenting duties. Some legal and systemic barriers limit educational participation, predicting further exclusion from sustainable economic growth. Recommendations push for flexible schedules, modular curricula, and alternative learning pathways to accommodate teenage mothers' parenting responsibilities, and data-driven frameworks for monitoring ASEP's. Private 2026-06-03T08:28:24Z 2026 Article APA 2614426 https://scholar.mzumbe.ac.tz/handle/123456789/2048 en_US application/pdf INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE AND YOUTH
spellingShingle Teenage mothers
Alternative Secondary Education Pathways
Critical race theory
Morogoro
Mwanza
Mara
Singida
School re-entry program – Tanzania
Education and Training Policy of 2014
National Re-Entry Guidelines
Nalailaa, Stephano
Massawe, Hanifa
From policy to practice: Inclusion, exclusion, and the gendered realities of school re-entry programme for teenage mothers in Tanzania
title From policy to practice: Inclusion, exclusion, and the gendered realities of school re-entry programme for teenage mothers in Tanzania
title_full From policy to practice: Inclusion, exclusion, and the gendered realities of school re-entry programme for teenage mothers in Tanzania
title_fullStr From policy to practice: Inclusion, exclusion, and the gendered realities of school re-entry programme for teenage mothers in Tanzania
title_full_unstemmed From policy to practice: Inclusion, exclusion, and the gendered realities of school re-entry programme for teenage mothers in Tanzania
title_short From policy to practice: Inclusion, exclusion, and the gendered realities of school re-entry programme for teenage mothers in Tanzania
title_sort from policy to practice inclusion exclusion and the gendered realities of school re entry programme for teenage mothers in tanzania
topic Teenage mothers
Alternative Secondary Education Pathways
Critical race theory
Morogoro
Mwanza
Mara
Singida
School re-entry program – Tanzania
Education and Training Policy of 2014
National Re-Entry Guidelines
url https://scholar.mzumbe.ac.tz/handle/123456789/2048
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