Ahead of the expected reopening of schools next year in January, the First Lady and Minister of Education and Sports, Mrs Janet Museveni, on Monday tabled before Cabinet a report on defilement, early marriages, failed parenthood and teenage pregnancies, among school children.

To avert the crisis, Cabinet, which debated the report, agreed to launch a national campaign in December to enable the Government to engage all stakeholders on the vices.

“Cabinet also considered and adopted an information paper in the national campaign against defilement, early marriages and failed parenthood, presented by the Minister of Education and Sports,” the ICT and national guidance minister, Dr Chris Baryomunsi, said in a statement issued Tuesday, November 23.

“The national campaign, which will be launched on December 3, is informed by the fact that defilement, early marriages, failed parenthood and teenage pregnancies have reached unprecedented levels that call for national action,” he added, noting that protecting the girl child needs urgent attention by all stakeholders.

Baryomunsi said Cabinet was of the view that parents should also be squarely blamed for the unfortunate rise in teenage pregnancies.

“Why should parents trust that the school environment gives proper safety to the children and not they themselves? Therefore, this requires concerted effort. Yes, the boy child is also affected, but the girl child remains vulnerable, and the COVID-19 situation has heightened the situation,” he said.

A recent survey by Twaweza, a non-governmental organisation that promotes education countrywide, noted that at least 80% of Ugandans were worried that teenage pregnancy across the country has reached epidemic proportions during the pandemic.

“The purpose of this campaign is to mobilise the country against these vices. The specific objectives include the need to undertake a structured social dialogue with key stakeholders, to create awareness about these vices and agree on sustainable solutions,” Baryomunsi said.

The Uganda Demographic and Health Survey research by the Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) indicates that one out of four adolescents aged 1519 years in Uganda become pregnant with the highest rates in rural areas.

'UPE should be free'

During the Monday Cabinet meeting, which was chaired by President Yoweri Museveni, it was also agreed that universal education should be implemented fully across all government-aided schools.

“During the discussions, it was also agreed that the Government will ensure that primary and secondary education will be made free and compulsory. Efforts are going to be put in place to ensure that parent-teachers associations do not charge fees,” Baryomunsi said, noting that all headteachers and principals of government -aided schools have been put on notice not to charge any tuition.

“Education should be free and compulsory. Cabinet resolved that no one has the authority to expel a child from a government-aided school simply because they have failed to pay. We are going to strictly implement the directive on prohibition of fees in January as schools re-open,” he added.

According to the education ministry, 10.8 million pupils are currently enrolled at primary level and 2.5 million at secondary level.

“This means that children enrol for primary education, but drop out in secondary and the majority are girls. The policy is that there should be free universal primary and secondary education,” Baryomunsi said.