Effectiveness of communication strategies in life skills education for underage pregnancy prevention: a case of Rongo sub-county secondary schools

Abstract

This study evaluated the effectiveness of communication strategies in life skills education for underage pregnancy prevention in public secondary schools in Rongo sub-county. The rationale behind this study was that, underage pregnancy is on the rise despite the implementation of life skills education in both primary and secondary schools in Kenya. Life skills are psychosocial competencies that should enable an individual to effectively deal with demands and challenges in life. The escalating numbers of underage pregnancies disclose that minimal attention is directed towards adolescents transfer of life skills from the classroom to real life situations. The study adopted qualitative methods to collect data from students and teachers in 3 public secondary schools in Rongo Sub-County using focus group discussions, interviews, and participant observation. 50 students and six teachers who were sampled through purposive, quota, and chain techniques participated in the focus groups and individual interviews. The data was analyzed thematically using manual open coding and NVivo 11 software, and the results were presented in narrative form, illustrated by direct quotes, mind maps, and tables. The study revealed that there was a relationship between the communication strategies used by the teachers in life skills classrooms and the acquisition, retention, and consequently application of life skills in real life. The reason the students still suffer from the consequences of sexual risk-taking was partly attributed to the teacher-centered strategies used in life skills education. The study also revealed that those students who interacted one-on-one with the teachers, especially in guidance and counseling, exhibited changes in behavior, which further emphasizes that effective communication results in behavior change. The study recommended urgent in service training of teachers of life skills on participatory strategies and infrastructural developments in schools to facilitate participation.