Authorities within districts of Buikwe, Mukono and Kayunga are worried about the delayed reporting of pregnant and breastfeeding learners in schools.
Following reports of early pregnancies among school going children during the recess period, the Ministry of Education and Sports instructed head teachers to allow all students return to school, including giving a second chance to those who got pregnant or gave birth during the COVID-19 lockdown.
However, since reopening, schools in Greater Mukono schools have not registered children of such category yet they needed special attention including psychosocial support to address the associated aftereffects including stigma during the orientation week.
The Insight Post has established from both secondary and primary schools that none of these children have registered or reported yet. Statistics at the District Health Officers’ offices indicate that over 600 children conceived in Buikwe, 600 in Kayunga and 400 in Mukono district.
Buikwe District Senior Education Officer Joyce Nalubega appeals to schools founding bodies, directors and head teachers to reach out to such learners rather than waiting for them to report to schools since they may completely fail.
According to Nalubega, ensuring the return of young mothers to schools is collaborative efforts of all people around them in communities since they are already traumatized with the effects of what they did out of ignorance.
She notes that failure to return them to school is creating a bigger danger likely to result in more domestic violence and other criminal cases advising school founding institutions and directors give a second chance to these children other than discouraging them since they can still turn into responsible citizens.
School head teachers who have talked to The Insight Post claim less financial capacity to do the monitoring and rehabilitation of such children within their localities so as to convince them to return to schools.
The Head Teacher for Kisimba Umea Primary School in Najja Sub County Buikwe District, Amina Nakayiza says has tried following two of her pupils who got pregnant but she has been disappointed by parents who hide them in places far from their homes.
Another Head Teacher, Godfrey Kanyike of Burere RC Primary School in Buikwe says they have planned to equip teachers with emergency healthcare and antenatal skills in case they happen to get such pupils. Kanyike adds that such pupils shall directly qualify to be considered as special needs pupils.
At Kayunga District, head teachers in some government schools are ready to receive pregnant and child mothers.
Abdunafi Musiitwa, the Head Teacher of Musiita Seed Secondary School at Nazigo sub county has prepared a room consisting of three mattresses he says child mothers will use for resting together with their baby.
He notes that so far three students have registered with the school and they are waiting for them to start.
He further reveals that they shall allow them study on days they feel energetic enough to attend but encourage them to engage in discussion so as to move on the same pace with other learners.
In Mukono private schools are not willing to admit learners under such a category. From day one of resumption, most of them subjected all learners to pregnancy tests with an intention of not allowing those who conceived.
For instance, schools under the Mukono Diocese were instructed not to admit such learners. In the memo issued by the Diocesan Secretary for Education, Rev. Geoffrey Kagoye indicate that the church is not intending to punish them but has values to protect in all their schools. The diocese has over 200 schools both secondary and primary.
“…we should look at the inconveniences to other teachers and students themselves who are pregnant brought as a result of complications of pregnancies. …what will happen to those who get pregnant during the course of study. Will they be implicated when the rest have been allowed to attend classes?” The memo reads in parts.
Meanwhile, parents and several residents are not happy with the diocesan instructions. Rosette Nabbumba Nayenga, the Board of Governors at Mukono High, one of the biggest and populated diocesan schools says teachers should be capacitated to handle than such learners than stopping them from attending school.
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