Teenage mothers will be allowed to report back to school after giving birth, authorities in Otuke District have resolved.
This follows a report by Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment (ACODE), a Non- governmental organization working in the district, indicating that at least 1,363 teenagers got pregnant between January to July 2021.
Now, the district leadership argues that schools will be useless if there are no children, adding that getting pregnant while at school should be treated as a one-time accident.
According to Alfred Malinga the Otuke Chief Administrative Officer (C.A.O), they are collecting the exact data on teenage pregnancies and Gender-Based Violence to find where and how these children can be helped to return to school.
The CAO blamed the parents for abandoning their responsibility of grooming the children.
Also, Susan Abeja the Otuke District Woman MP believes that the girls should be given a chance to continue studying even after giving birth and that as leaders, they will make sure that the girls receive the necessary support they require at school.
The State Minister for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo warned the stakeholders against abusing the opportunity of allowing pregnant girls to access education after giving birth.
He says once a child becomes pregnant, this should be seen as an accident and after having the child, they should be allowed to go back to school, however, this should not be used to misbehave.
Muyingo also advised that those who cannot continue up to university, they should take on vocational education.
