Lived Experiences of Young Pregnant Rural Primary School Female Learners with Disabilities in Zimbabwe

This qualitative study was conducted to gain an insight into ‘lived experiences' of the young pregnant rural primary school female learners with disabilities in Zimbabwe. A qualitative method with a phenomenological design was used in this study to explore how pregnancy, disability and rurality impact their educational and social experiences. One of the research gaps that this study will address is the lack of empirical qualitative proof of the compounded situation of pregnant learners with disabilities encountered in rural Zimbabwean primary schools. A purposive sampling of 15 participants was done according to their gender, geographical location, expertise and skills. Focus group discussions were conducted and the data were analysed thematically. One key finding was that learners with disabilities who were pregnant are subject to multiple types of marginalisation: due to their disability and due to their pregnancy, resulting in greater social isolation and exclusion from education. The study calls for the need to include policies in inclusive education that are tailored to the needs of pregnant learners with disabilities such as making learning space accessible and providing tailored psycho-social support.

Keywords: disabilities, lived experiences, pregnancy, rural primary schools, Zimbabwe