CHAPTER ONE
PROBLEM AND ITS SETTING
1.1 INTRODUCTION
The number of teenagers giving birth each year is shocking. 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 increasing 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 behavior during adolescent (national Population Commission) Nigeria demographic and health survey 2004, Abuja Nigeria Commission 2006.
1.2 BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
In Nigeria, pregnancy and motherhood mark the end of school attendance and by 16 years, 21% of female adolescent are either pregnant or have given birth. Teenagers face daily pressure from peers, they are exposed to the influence of Television, movies, the music industry and internet etc. Unfortunately young ones are too inexperienced to handle the consequences of pregnancy.
1.3 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEMS
This research work is to look into the causes of teenage pregnancy among female students and its effects on academics. Millions of children return from school to an empty house because both parents are of the working class, which exposes many teenagers to lack of parental care. 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 the foundation of sex education both in school and at home, there is also the powerful influence of the media on teenagers because the usually tend 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 an internet as mobile phones have internet connectivity, the use of the internet have increased in many country including Nigeria and sexual materials of all kinds are easily accessible through it. 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; the children find it difficult to confide in their parents.