The data about pregnant girls was confirmed as “true” by the DEO of Kole district local government.
By Ceasar Okello
Kole – October 13, 2022: Kole District Local Government is grappling with the high level of teenage pregnancy among school-going girls. This is the highest pregnancy data since Kole became a district in 2010.
Most of the affected girls are believed to be between 12 to 17 years.
A report by the health department for Kole district, 3231 young girls got pregnant in 2021 and most of them were pupils.
To restore culture and ensure that pregnancy is for those aged 18 years and above, or those in wedlock, leaders are concerned and have promised solutions.
At a recent meeting in the district, Judith Alyek, the Woman Member of Parliament for Kole district also doubling as the Chairperson of Lango Parliamentary Group, said she is not happy with the report showing the high number of young girls getting pregnant.
Alyek’s comments were during a fete to mark World Teachers Day. For Kole, it was held at Abim primary school in Alito sub-county.
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The Legislator said with the number of girls leaving school at a tender age, Kole may not have leaders to replace them in the future.
Alyek tasked parents and other stakeholders to take the mantle of ensuring that girls stay in school.
She also appealed to children to be submissive to their parents and listen to their advice and accept to continue studying because without education their future is in a bad state.
Alyek gave an example of how she studied amidst challenges ranging from school fees. “I stood firm,” she told the gathering.
Tom Okare is the District Education Officer (DEO) of Kole. He affirmed that the statistics of 3,232 young girls who got pregnant in Kole are true.
Okare said most of the teenage pregnancies that happened in Kole were due to the outbreak of Covid-19 that ravaged the whole world.
The DEO is blaming parents for not doing enough in talking to their children and leaving them to go off the board.
According to the DEO, there is a need for all the stakeholders to be mindful of the future of their children and make sure they continue with their academics.
The educationist, however, told TND News that officials from the education department have often gone for outreaches to look for the pupils who have left schools for unclear reasons so they can go back to school.
Last year, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni ordered all the girls who got pregnant during the time of lockdown to go back to school and continue with their education.