Luwero Kadhi Warns of Teenage Pregnancies Over Teachers' Strike

The Luwero District Kadhi has warned that more girls could get pregnant again due to the ongoing teachers' strike over salary increments.

According to Luwero District Health report, at least 16,163 girls below the age of 19 years got pregnant in the 2020/21 financial year. Of these, 442 were below 15 years of age. 

Sheikh Ramadhan Mulindwa the Luwero District Kadhi explains that several girls were impregnated in COVID 19 lockdown because they stayed home over a long period and faced several temptations.

Mulindwa says that there was excitement when the government lifted the COVID 19 lockdown and learners returned to school.

But Mulindwa noted that the excitement is short-lived because girls are back home and loitering in towns which may expose them to teenage pregnancies and hence drop out of school.

Mulindwa has since asked the government to address the grievances of the art teachers so that they resume work to save girls from getting pregnant. 

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Uthman Basajjanaku Lubega the Secretary of Social Services at Luwero Muslim district pleaded with teachers to resume teaching as they continue to dialogue with the government.

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Aisha Namwanje a parent at Kasana UMEA primary says that several girls may lose interest and drop out of school over the prolonged strike.

Namwanje added that the strike started at a time when parents were still persuading girls to stay in school after some got petty jobs during COVID 19 and wanted to stay there.

There are over 230 government primary schools but a large number of them are deserted after teachers joined a countrywide strike starting on June 15th this year till date.  Pupils were sent home after the teachers went on strike.

On Thursday, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Service Catherine Bitarakwate Musingwire wrote to the General Secretary of the Uganda National Teachers’ Union asking him to call off the strike because the teachers’ salary will be enhanced in the medium term.

The Minister of Public Service Muruuli Mukasa also wrote to Chairperson of UNATU Zadok Tumuhimbise asking him to order teachers to resume work as government work upon their request for salary enhancement in long run as resources become available.

But Filbert Baguma the General Secretary of the Uganda National Teachers’ Union said they will decide on the matter after consultations.

The union’s top organ- the national executive council, and branch leaders will meet on Sunday.

UNATU has proposed that the government should pay shillings 4.8 million to graduate science teachers and shillings 4.5 million to those teaching arts and humanities. They are also advocating for a 1.35 million shillings minimum wage for primary school teachers.