President Yoweri Museveni is set to meet Anglican Bishops to deliberate on breast feeding and pregnant girls who intend to go back to school. Museveni said this during the 36th commemoration of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Liberation Day at Kololo independence grounds.
“We are going to sit down with the Bishops and find a solution for students who got pregnant during the lockdown. There is an argument about whether they should go to school while pregnant or breastfeeding,” President Museveni
He said; “What I will not agree to is to condemn the child not to continue with her education because she got pregnant. That, I will not accept. It is not logical or religious,”
On Monday January 10, 2022, the government of Uganda opened up schools for over 15 million learners after nearly two years of closure in 2020. The closure according to Mr. Museveni peddled to curbing the spread of Covid-19 pandemic. The closure of schools has since led to impregnating of over 100,000 school going girls.
As the country geared towards the reopening of schools, the Ministry of Education issued guidelines allowing girls who got pregnant or gave birth during the lockdown.
Bishop James Ssebagala of Mukono Diocese directed teachers in Church of Uganda-founded schools to block pregnant or breastfeeding girls from accessing their institutions. The bishop said it wasn’t morally upright to allow them to sit in classes with other learners.
“All head teachers, I want to tell you that we shall not allow pregnant or breastfeeding girls in class. When all girls turn up, carry out the usual medical examination so that those found pregnant can go back and give birth; they will come back after giving birth,” the bishop said.
He was later backed by the Archbishop Stephen Kaziimba Mugalu who said Church of Uganda schools have no facilities to handle breast feeding and pregnant girls.
