Education ministry urges schools to prepare to receive child mothers

Kampala, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Schools have to prepare to receive child mothers and pregnant learners, Dr. Cleophus Mugenyi, the Commissioner Basic Education in the Ministry of Education and Sports has revealed.

According to Dr. Mugenyi, a recent study by the UN population fund indicates that the country has been registering over 32,000 teenage pregnancies monthly since March 2020.

He cited a report presented by the Vice President Jessica Alupo to Parliament on December 1st, 2021 on the status of teenage pregnancy in the country. The report showed that, “a total of 354,736 teenage pregnancies were registered in 2020 while 295,219 teenage pregnancies were registered between January to early September 2021.”

He was representing the Education Ministry Permanent Secretary, Ketty Lamaro at the national launch of the School-Based Training for Teachers in preparation for school reopening at Mbale Secondary School on Monday.

The training attracted primary and secondary school headteachers, Resident District Commissioners, Chief Administrative Officers, District Education Officers, and political heads from districts in the Bugisu sub region.

Dr. Joyce Kaducu, the State Minister for Education & Sports said that the effect of the long school closure has taken a lot from learners where some are likely not to return to school to complete their learning cycle.

She said that now that learners are returning to school, teachers are supposed to change their approach towards them to offer them psycho-social support.

Julius Wanda, a teacher at St Joseph primary school Gangama in Mbale city, said that the issue of vaccination is likely to scare away teachers because some of them are not willing to be vaccinated.

Kasim Namugali, the Mayor Mbale city said that the people who are supposed to guide the learners in this country have not been well facilitated, which is why they decide to turn their anger onto the children under their care.

Moses Buyela, the Headteacher Mbale SS, said the training is timely because there has been a big concern on where the teachers will begin from following the prolonged closure of schools.

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