KEY POINTS:
New Zealand's teen parent schools recognise not only the fact but the consequence of one of the highest teenage pregnancy rates in the developed world. Teenage mothers often find it difficult enough to raise young children, let alone continue their schooling. The result is a group whose failure to reach their full potential in education will filter through into their later life. Since the 1990s, specialist teen parent units have sought to provide a more accommodating educational environment, one that recognises their circumstances are much different from other girls of their age.
The formula has proved successful enough to spur the setting up of 17 teen parent schools, attended by close to 500 pupils. Many of these Ministry of Education-funded units have been established over the past few years. Each is attached to a mainstream school, operates under the governance of its board of trustees, and draws pupils from a wide area. They do Correspondence School lessons, but with teachers available as both tutors and "second mums". Access to their babies is available through on-site creches. This arrangement obviously suits the teenage mothers. They appreciate working at the pace they want, and having no deadlines for assignments. This, they say, recognises the responsibilities they have to their children, as well as their own personal development.
The Education Review Office, however, has concerns about the quality of schooling being provided by some of the units. A review published last month found that only 11 of the 17 were providing an effective education. One, at Stratford High School, was a source of considerable concern, and the other five were judged "partly effective". Perhaps worst of all, the units, in total, attract only 11 per cent of school-aged parents.
It is probably not surprising that question-marks exist. On an individual level, the pupils' joint responsibilities are a recipe for distraction. Equally, units in provincial areas are likely to face a struggle to maintain viable rolls. Wherever they are, however, they serve little purpose if the quality of education on offer falls below an acceptable level. The young mothers may have a different dimension to their lives from other schoolgirls but they have the same wish to succeed. Many prove that by travelling long distances to attend the units. That effort is not worthwhile if the standard falls well short of that of mainstream schooling.
The Education Review Office is happy that is not the case in most of the units. Nonetheless, it is clearly unsatisfactory that they are not attracting 89 per cent of school-aged parents. A more "flexible and cost-effective approach" is, therefore, being sought by ministry officials. The upshot is expected to be mainstream schools bidding for funding for teen parents.
This should be a way to appeal to more teenage mothers, in smaller centres especially. Shorter travelling distances to mainstream schools that offer similar specialist support to the units will be an encouragement to some who might otherwise be headed for a life on benefits. But it should be acknowledged that the units in the bigger cities have, by and large, proved themselves. The Education Review Office says most meet their pupils' needs effectively. Future funding should acknowledge that.
Wherever these teenagers choose to be taught, it would be futile not to acknowledge their particular circumstances. Pretending they are not mothers, and not doing enough to accommodate this, could make education seem like too high a hurdle. That would be detrimental to the pupils, their teachers and the community.
