The Effect of Life Skills Education Under CBE on Teenage Pregnancy: A Case of Junior Secondary Schools in Babadogo Ward, Ruaraka Sub-County, Nairobi

Abstract

Teenage pregnancy remains a major concern in Kenya, particularly in informal settlements such as Babadogo Ward, Nairobi, where it presents serious educational, social, and health challenges. Early pregnancies often lead to school dropouts, limited economic opportunities, and intergenerational cycles of poverty. This study examined the influence of life skills education implemented within the Competency-Based Education (CBE) framework on teenage pregnancy among Junior Secondary School learners in Babadogo Ward, Ruaraka Sub-County, Nairobi. Specifically, the study sought to assess learners’ knowledge of life skills, determine whether this knowledge translated into behaviour change, identify challenges affecting the effectiveness of life skills education, and evaluate its overall impact on teenage pregnancy prevention. The study was guided by Life Skills Theory, Social Learning Theory, and Ecological Systems Theory, which collectively emphasize the interaction between individual capacities, social learning processes, and environmental contexts in shaping adolescent behaviour and decision-making. These theoretical foundations provided a framework for understanding how internalized skills, social influences, and community environments collectively determine the effectiveness of life skills education in addressing issues related to teenage sexuality and reproductive health. A descriptive mixed-methods research design was employed, integrating both quantitative and qualitative approaches to enhance the validity and depth of findings. The target population comprised 158 Junior Secondary learners drawn from Sunrays and Babadogo Primary Schools, six life skills facilitators, and two school administrators. Data were collected using questionnaires, interview schedules, and focus group discussions. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics, while qualitative data were thematically analysed to capture participants’ perceptions and lived experiences. The findings revealed that life skills education had significantly enhanced learners’ knowledge, confidence, decision-making abilities, and their capacity to resist risky behaviours such as early sexual engagement and substance abuse. However, the study also found that several contextual and systemic barriers limited the full effectiveness of life skills education. These included poverty, peer pressure, cultural taboos surrounding open discussions of sexuality, inadequate parental involvement, and inconsistent delivery of reproductive health content. Moreover, while learners demonstrated awareness of general life skills, fewer than half exhibited strong understanding of sexual and reproductive health topics, reflecting gaps in curriculum coverage and implementation fidelity. The study concluded that life skills education positively influences adolescent behaviour and has the potential to reduce teenage pregnancy when effectively delivered and supported. However, its success depends on sustained institutional commitment, teacher preparedness, and active engagement of parents and community stakeholders. The research underscores the need for comprehensive reinforcement of the CBE life skills component through teacher training, participatory pedagogies, and integration of culturally sensitive reproductive health content. The study’s findings are valuable to the Ministry of Education, curriculum developers, school administrators, teachers, parents, and non-governmental organizations seeking to strengthen adolescent reproductive health interventions. They provide evidence-based insights for developing targeted policies and community-based programs aimed at empowering learners with practical decision-making abilities and fostering supportive environments that reduce the prevalence of teenage pregnancy in informal settlements.