Pregnant students to resume school a year after giving birth

The government has backtracked on its proposal to allow pregnant pupils carry their babies to class.

The minister of Education and Sports, Ms Janet Kataaha Museveni, while talking at the belated International Women’s celebrations in Ntungamo District last week, said teachers have been complaining of teaching breastfeeding mothers with children in a class.

She said girls who get pregnant while in school should be given time to breast feed before resuming classes.

“Teachers have been saying, ‘for us we are not midwives and can’t take care of pregnant mothers in school, schools are for children not mothers and we have no baby care centres’. Now the Cabinet decided a few weeks ago, that children who become pregnant take a year off after giving birth, care for children produced before resuming school,” Ms Museveni said.

She called upon stakeholders to reboot the Abstain, Be faithful, use Condom (ABC) strategy to deter HIV/Aids.

“Now we need to reboot the ABC campaign. Today, we no longer speak about it as if it’s been eliminated but, children are getting Aids even now as we speak, we want our children Aids free, remain virgins, stop the outcry that children are pregnant, they have given birth, they need to return to schools as women, pregnant or with babies, what is that?” she said.

Ms Museveni said after a year of breastfeeding, babies can be cared for from home as the mother resumes her education.

“...We have to support them and they achieve their potential in life, and return to school,” she said.

Ms Museveni also said government would rehabilitate all traditional schools starting next year.

The Ntungamo District Woman MP, Ms Joseline Kamateneti, said high school dropouts and early marriages are brought about by the increasing poverty levels.

She called on women to concentrate on their families’ income and nurture children for the best opportunities in life.

Background

Prior to the reopening of the new school term on January 10, the government ordered schools to admit pregnant and breastfeeding girls.

This was in line with the December 2020 revised guidelines for preventing and managing teenage pregnancies in schools following a two-year Covid-19 induced lockdown.

The guidelines provided directions to schools on tackling stigma, discrimination, and violence against expectant learners.

 Although there were divergent views on the matter, with some clerics, especially from the Church of Uganda, vowing not to allow pregnant or breastfeeding girls in Church-founded schools, the government insisted on the directive.

However, the Education minister says recently the government agreed with teachers to allow girls who get pregnant to resume school a year after giving birth.