At least eight students at Namaserere High School in Buwuni Town Council, Bugiri District, have been discovered to be pregnant, with most in Senior Four, head teacher Patrick Kibuuka revealed.
The teenage pregnancies occurred before the students began sitting their Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) exams, currently underway. The 2025 UCE exams end in early November, according to Uneb.
Speaking at the school’s annual general meeting with parents, Kibuuka described his dilemma over how to handle the situation.
‘I was stuck on what to do next. I couldn’t send them away, but I was concerned about them influencing other students, who might think it’s normal to be pregnant in school. In the end, I decided to let them sit for their final exams,’ he said.
On Friday, Kibuuka partly blamed parents for neglecting to monitor their children, particularly those renting rooms outside the school rather than staying in the boarding section.
‘Parents are at fault here. They rent rooms for their children but don’t monitor their movements. This exposes them to dangers, and such issues could be avoided,’ he said.
Bugiri Resident District Commissioner Paul Kalikwani Makakanyara supported the decision to allow the affected students to complete their exams, but expressed disappointment at parents’ failure to use government-provided hostels.
‘I wonder why parents do not make use of the affordable hostels provided by the government at the school. Instead, they rent outside rooms, putting their children at risk. This is very unfortunate,’ he said.
Bugiri District Education Officer Masitura Tibiwa said teenage pregnancies in local schools are a growing concern.
‘This is not an isolated incident. Even at Iwemba Secondary School, four students are pregnant,’ Tibiwa noted.
She attributed the trend to poverty, observing that students renting rooms often face exploitation from men in nearby trading centers.
‘Parents need to stay connected with their children while they are at school. This lack of involvement is contributing to these problems,’ she added.
The situation comes as Kyabazinga of Busoga William Nadiope Gabula IV was appointed by the United Nations as a Goodwill Ambassador to combat teenage pregnancy.
Several agencies, in collaboration with Busoga Kingdom, are working to involve men in local communities to help prevent teenage pregnancies and reduce schoolgirl dropouts. Awareness campaigns are ongoing across all eleven hereditary chiefdoms in the region to encourage girls to remain in school.