PLE 2026: Teenage mother returns to school with newborn in Lamwo
Education stakeholders say challenges such as stigma, financial difficulties, childcare responsibilities and limited family support should not permanently deny teenage mothers the opportunity to complete their education.
Lamara Sharon Nora , returned to school after becoming pregnant and giving birth. She is sitting the exams with her baby, who is one week old. (Credit: Vincent Kaguta)
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Teenage pregnancy should not mark the end of a girl's education, educationists and community leaders have said, following the return of two young parents to the examination room to sit for their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) at Labayango Primary School in Lamwo District.
The two teenagers, who attend Katebo Primary School, a private institution in Katum sub-county, are among candidates sitting the 2026 PLE.
This year’s PLE has seen 920,833 registered candidates, representing a 12.5% increase from the 817,885 candidates who registered for PLE examinations in 2025. The candidates are sitting their papers at 16,478 examination centres across the country.
One of the candidates, Sharon Nora Lamara, returned to school after becoming pregnant and giving birth. She is sitting the exams with her baby, who is one week old.
Lamara said the pregnancy was unexpected, but she decided to resume her studies rather than abandon her academic ambitions.
However, education stakeholders say such challenges should not permanently deny young mothers the opportunity to complete their education.
Anna Atto, the headteacher of Labayango Primary School, said the two teenagers had been given an opportunity to sit their examinations because their circumstances should not permanently close the door to education.
Atto said denying the learners an opportunity to complete their examinations would worsen their situation by limiting their chances of progressing to another level of education.
The headteacher added that family and cultural concerns could be addressed without interfering with the children's right to education.
She said the learners should be encouraged to recognise the challenges they face, make responsible decisions to enable them continue pursuing their academic ambitions.
Boniface Odoch, the Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO) of Katum Sub-county, welcomed the teenagers' decision to return to school, saying their experience should encourage other learners who have dropped out because of pregnancy to reconsider their future.
Odoch said becoming pregnant and giving birth should not be a reason for girls to abandon their education. He urged parents and guardians to continue supporting their children, even when they become teenage mothers before completing a particular level of schooling.
He said parents should not give up on their children because of mistakes made during their school-going years. “Parents should continue supporting their children because education is important for their future,” Odoch said.
Labayango Primary School is hosting candidates from three schools, including its own pupils. The host school has registered 42 candidates, on top of 13 candidates from Cross Healing Primary School, and nine others from Katebo Primary School. This brings the total number of candidates at the examination centre to 64.