Here’s what you should be aware of:
- In Mubende District, teenage pregnancies and child marriages stem directly from limited educational prospects for girls. In several sub-counties where there are no government-funded secondary schools, female students finishing Primary Seven frequently find themselves inactive and susceptible to premature sexual engagement and exploitation. This pattern exacerbates gender disparities and prolongs cycles of economic hardship. Establishing a secondary school in every sub-county could provide children with easier access to education, eliminating the necessity for them to travel far distances to attend classes. Barbra Nalweyiso reports.
"I aspire to be a doctor someday. It’s just that I hope my dad will consent to help me financially and pay for my tuition," she expresses.
In contrast to Christine, Brenda Nakalagi, a resident of Kirumbi village within the same sub-county, has temporarily avoided early pregnancy. She was one of the three students who successfully completed their Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) at Kirumbi Primary School. This achievement gave her hope for attending secondary school.
Yet hope remains tenuous in Kalonga sub-county. To reach the closest secondary school requires a round trip of 10 kilometers each day. Nakalagi’s mother lacks the means to pay for her daughter to stay at the boarding section of the institution. The constant threat posed by lengthy commutes to and from school has discouraged her mother, who acts as her main guardian. Nakalagi has seen fellow students, initially just as optimistic about their future as herself, fall victim to teenage pregnancy. Each passing day without education heightens her worry that she might also end up trapped in the same cycle.
"My mother informed me that upon finishing Primary Seven, I should undergo vocational training. However, she doesn’t have enough funds to cover my tuition costs," she expresses sorrowfully. This situation deeply troubles Rose Nalukwago, who is a parent to eight children.
"All of my kids have completed schooling up to Primary Seven. Unfortunately, their educational journey stops there as I can’t afford further studies for them financially. Their father left us," she explains.
Without access to suitable educational opportunities, her daughters remain susceptible to early unions and various exploitative situations.
"I am worried that my daughter might end up following the same path as her older sister, who stayed at home for two years after finishing Primary Seven. During this period, she became pregnant and was then forced into marriage," Nalukwaago shares.
Stranded futures
This issue is quite common in numerous households within this region. Many parents feel helpless, as they would willingly save up for their children’s secondary education if they were financially able to cover the related expenses.
Zadock Ssemata, a father living in Kirumbi village, has also fallen prey to this crisis of wasted potential. His daughter, who is currently pregnant, succumbed to the perilous ordeal of lengthy commutes to school. She was lured and became pregnant during one of her journeys back home from schooling. Overwhelmed with distress, he directs his anger at those in leadership roles.
"The lack of government-run high schools underscores a lapse in leadership. Sheltered in their advantageous stations, these individuals remain unmoved by the struggles of those who have placed their trust in them," he states.
Ssemata further notes that if the leaders take the lead, the community members would readily contribute portions of their land to facilitate the building of a secondary school within their jurisdiction.
In Kirindi-Kirumbi Village, the absence of secondary schools perpetuates a pattern of early marriages, teen pregnancy, and exploitation. As Aisha Musheshimana, a local who is deeply troubled by this issue, points out, "Once girls finish Primary Seven, many leave school to marry. Some move to Kampala City seeking low-paying jobs. Achieving success seems like an elusive dream that gradually disappears with time," she expresses sorrowfully.
Anamaria Tebasuula, who represents women in Kalomba sub-county, expresses concern over the rising number of teen pregnancies. She states, "Each month, I deal with a minimum of five instances involving pregnant teenagers. Although these cases are passed on to law enforcement, those responsible seldom face consequences."
Government response
Even with substantial proof highlighting the educational emergency, Asaph Kabunga, who holds the position of Education Officer in Mubende District, dismisses assertions suggesting that the lack of school facilities is mainly responsible for teen pregnancy and dropout rates. He instead points fingers at inadequate parental supervision as the root cause of these issues.
"There are government schools, although currently none may be found in Kalomba sub-county. Parents have the option of enrolling their children at St. Mugagga Secondary School located in Kiganda sub-county, part of Kassanda district. Previously, students had to travel far due to the limited number of secondary institutions available. However, under President Yoweri Museveni’s leadership, these facilities have been strategically placed so they are more accessible," he states.
Although governmental policies require each sub-county to possess at least one secondary educational facility, five specific areas within the Mubende district—Kalonga, Nabingola, Kiruuma, Kayebe, and Kitenga—are devoid of public-supported institutions. Despite these regions having been established more than half a decade ago alongside pledges for advancement and equitable educational opportunities, they still lack such essential resources. In an effort to address this issue, Kabunga advises guardians to register their offspring in nearby schools located in the Kassanda district; however, this recommendation fails to take into account various difficulties including extended commutes, significant financial burdens, and potential hazards linked with dispatching youths to distant learning centers.
The medical view
Prossy Nangendo, a midwife working at Kalomba Health Center III, has seen this issue up close. Each month, she cares for 16 to 25 adolescent girls who have become mothers despite still being children themselves.
Ranging from 15 to 19 years old, these individuals seek medical attention; however, their real necessity is a future that eluded them before they could even attempt to claim it.
Nangendo links this disturbing trend to precisely what community members have protested against—the lack of government-run secondary schools.
Lacking an education to ground them, these girls tend to wander aimlessly, frequently falling prey to vulnerabilities and exploitation. "Over the past two months, we've had 16 mothers come through our doors one after another. They're the ones who reach out to us here at the facility. Numerous others stay hidden in their villages."
By the age of 16, students ought to be deeply involved in their learning process; however, after finishing Primary Seven, they frequently have to discontinue their education," she explains. According to the latest police crime statistics, Mubende district leads in instances of aggravated defilement, documenting 88 such cases. Nevertheless, these figures represent just a small part of the overall situation.
Each number represents a young woman such as Christine or Nakalagi, whose talents are being taken away right under our noses. As authorities try to minimize the severity of this issue without any short-term strategies to close the education gap, doubts linger. How many more girls have to disappear into early marriages, adolescent motherhood, and lifelong hardship before they can truly achieve an education?
About
Frequently, child marriage stems from deep-seated gender inequality, which impacts girls more significantly than boys. Worldwide, the rate of child marriages involving boys is merely one-sixth of those involving girls.
Marriage at a young age deprives girls of their youth and jeopardizes their welfare. Those who wed before turning 18 face a higher risk of experiencing spousal abuse and are less inclined to stay enrolled in educational institutions. These younger brides often encounter poorer financial and health-related challenges compared to those who remain single, with these difficulties later affecting their offspring as well, thereby taxing a nation’s ability to deliver high-quality healthcare and schooling.
After completing Primary Seven, girls often leave school to get married. Some move to Kampala City in search of low-paying jobs. They have aspirations of achieving success in their lives, but these dreams tend to diminish as they age,"
Impact
Although government policy requires that each sub-county must have at least one secondary school, five sub-counties in Mubende district—Kalogy, Nabigomela, Kiruumaa, Kyesiibe, and Kitanga—are without a state-supported educational facility. These divisions came into existence more than half a decade back, alongside pledges for advancement and equitable opportunities in schooling.
Kabunga encourages parents to send their offspring to educational institutions in the nearby Kassanda district; however, this proposal fails to address the difficulties posed by lengthy commutes, substantial expenses, and the hazards linked to dispatching youngsters to distant academic centers.
editorial@ug.nationmedia.com
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