Against all odds: teen mom fights for matric and a better future

By Emily Setona

QWAQWA – At just 17, matric learner and teen mother Pulane Tsotetsi is confronting family rejection, poverty and uncertainty, clinging to education as her only lifeline to a better future for herself and her two-year-old son.

Pulane’s life has been marked by loss from an early age. She lost her mother at the age of three and was raised by her late mother’s twin sister in Gauteng before being sent to QwaQwa to live with her grandmother in Beruit.

“When my grandmother passed away in April 2023, I was left in her house with extended family. That is when everything changed. I receive little to no support from my family,” she said.

Her challenges deepened when she fell pregnant at 15 while in Grade 9. She gave birth in 2024 during her Grade 10 year. Her son, Amohelang, turns two on 29 March.

“My family wanted me to drop out of school and focus on the baby. They don’t support my decision to complete matric,” Pulane said.

She described her home environment as unstable and emotionally draining.

“Where I stay there is always some type of stressful situation. The environment is very toxic and it makes studying extremely difficult.”

Refusing to let her circumstances determine her future, Pulane made a decisive and courageous move.“I used my child support grant to pay for accommodation at the school hostel so that I can focus on my studies. At the hostel I get extra academic support from teachers and a stable environment,” she said.

“If I stayed at home, I honestly don’t think I would survive this year. Being at the hostel gives me a real chance.”

However, a major financial hurdle lies ahead. Pulane turns 18 on 7 February, which will result in the termination of her grant.

“I honestly don’t know how I will manage after that because the grant is what pays for my stay. It is frightening, but I am trying not to panic. I am praying that something will work out,” she said.

The father of her child ended their relationship after learning about the pregnancy, but support has come from an unexpected source.

“When I told him I was pregnant, things changed, but his mother stepped in to help me. She agreed to take care of my son so that I can focus on school. I am truly grateful because it allows me to stay at the hostel and give this year my best.”

For Pulane, matric represents far more than an academic milestone.

“I want a better life for my son and for myself. I don’t want Amohelang to grow up struggling the way I am struggling. I don’t know what the future holds, but I know I cannot give up now. I am doing this for my son,” she said.

Sekgutlong Secondary School principal Pauline Nhlapo said Pulane’s story reflects the lived reality of many learners at the school.

“Many of our learners come from extremely difficult backgrounds. Most parents are uneducated and unemployed and do not fully understand the value of education,” Nhlapo said.

She said the school’s matric hostel support project plays a critical role in creating a conducive learning environment.

“If we want better results, we must also create better conditions for learning.”

Sekgutlong Secondary School achieved a 94.3% matric pass rate in 2025. Nhlapo said the school is now determined to reach a 100% pass rate and improve the overall quality of results.