Effect of Mentorship and Role Modeling Programs on Early Pregnancy Prevention among Secondary School Girls in Homa Bay Sub-County

Unintended pregnancy among adolescents represents an important public health challenge in developed and developing countries. Numerous prevention strategies have been employed by countries across the world, in an effort to address this problem. However, many girls still cannot complete school due to early pregnancies. The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of mentorship and role modeling programs on pregnancy prevention among secondary school girls in Homa Bay Sub-County. The study adopted a descriptive survey research design and guided by the feminist theory. The study was carried in girls’ schools and mixed schools only because students in boys’ schools only are not directly affected by the phenomenon under study. Questionnaires and interview schedules were used for the purpose of collecting data. Two sets of questionnaires were administered for the heads of guidance and counseling department and the class teachers. Interview schedules were administered to the principals and the sub-county director of education. Data was analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequencies and percentages while the interview schedule was analyzed thematically according to the objectives of the study. The study revealed that there were mentors who encourage students to work hard in their education and that the schools had alumni of prominent women that the students can look up to. The schools arrange regular mentorship programmes that enable students to meet with their mentors and share ideas, though this was not the case in some schools in the sub-county. The findings also indicate that in schools where mentorship was witnessed, the number of girls proceeding with their studies without getting pregnant and join institutions of higher learning had increased. The findings of the study will be used to make recommendations toward strategies of averting the problem of unplanned and unwanted pregnancies and attainment of educational equity