Pregnant girls shy away from schools in Teso

Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Statistics from some districts in Teso sub-region indicate that only a handful of expectant school-going age girls have returned to school.

A number of schools created space to accommodate the young mothers in line with the government, allowing all expectant and breastfeeding girls to return to school following disruptions resulting from the lockdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak.

Before the outbreak, young mothers were restricted from class especially at primary and secondary school levels. However, some districts have not registered any young mothers in class even after recording a surge in teenage pregnancies.

In Kaberamaido district, 1,538 girls conceived during the first lockdown alone. By the time of filing this story, the district had not yet availed statistics of teenage pregnancies recorded in the second lockdown. But reports from the education department in the district indicate that no girl has shown up in class in the last two weeks.

Richard Elyebu, the Kaberamaido District Education Officer says that they have held meetings with headteachers to find out whether there are young mothers in class but no school had reported any.

Stephen Okurut, the acting Bukedea District Education Officer says that much as the district registered more learners in the first week of school reopening compared to other years, only two pregnant girls have been sighted in class in Kolir sub county.

According to Okurut, the district recorded more than 3,000 teenage pregnancies in the last two years. He says that they are now reaching out to parents and individual girls known to respective schools to convince them to return to school.

Sarah Adongo, the Kumi District Inspector of Schools says that they have received reports from very few schools showing that only breastfeeding mothers are at school. She says that the pregnant girls have not yet picked the courage to return to school.

Reports from different districts across Teso indicate that more than 30,000 girls conceived during the lockdown. Last week, the Iteso Cultural Union joined hands with World Vision- Uganda to help mobilize girls and all school-going-age children to return to school regardless of their current health condition. The campaign will last at least five years.

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