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Serere, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A 17-year-old girl in Serere district on Tuesday gave birth during the Primary Leaving Exams-PLE.
The candidate from Kyere primary school, whose identity has been withheld because she is a minor was in the middle of her mathematics exam when her labour pains started.
Herbert Ejalu, the headteacher of Kyere primary school says that the candidate raised her hand and asked to be excused from the exam room. She was rushed to a health facility, where she gave birth to a baby girl.
Ejalu says that although the candidate was weak, she returned to school and completed the exam and also sat for the social studies exam in the afternoon.
Last year, a 16 year old girl sat her Primary Leaving Examinations-PLE at Serere health centre IV after giving birth. The candidate was one of those who registered for PLE in Serere district after conceiving during the COVID-19 lockdown.
In Bukedea district, one of the pupils who delivered a baby girl last week is among the candidates sitting for exams at Kanyanga primary school. The 16-year-old girl wrote her examination under the tree to be able to attend to the baby who is four days old.
According to Stephen Okello, the Head Teacher of Kanyanga Primary School, the candidate is among the three child mothers sitting examinations in the school. He says the other two girls are pregnant and may complete their papers before delivery.
In Kasese district, a 16-year-old girl from Kasangali SDA primary school, Bwesumbu sub-county gave birth a day before the start of PLE.
The head teacher of Kasangali SDA primary school, Matayo Wahimba says that they have allowed the young mother to do her exams after getting a medical report that she was in good health. He added that the school allowed the girl’s mother to take care of the baby at the school as the candidate sits her exam.
Sylvia Mbambu, a murse at Bwesumbu health centre III said that they will continue monitoring her condition until she finishes her papers on Wednesday.
The Kasese District Education Officer, George Mayinja says that another candidate at Kacungiro primary school in Munkunyu sub county who was in labour on Monday had not yet delivered by end of the exams on Tuesday.
PLE ends on Wednesday with Science and English papers. According to the Uganda National Examinations Board- UNEB, a total of 832,839 pupils registered to sit for PLE.
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