Campaign to fight against schoolgirl pregnancy nears

Busega. Plans are afoot for Busega District Council in Simiyu Region to launch a campaign, which will help curb pregnancy cases among schoolgirls.

This was said by Busega District Commissioner Tano Mwera recently, when receiving building materials for the construction of a dormitory at Malili Secondary School. The materials worth Sh5 million were donated by the National Microfinance Bank (NMB).

She said in the campaign community members, education stakeholders and administrations of secondary schools would participate.

“School leaders will organise discussions involving teens at all secondary schools for the schoolgirls to air their opinions,” she said.

She explained that consultation would guide education stakeholders and government authorities to look for a solution that would help end the vice.

According to the head of Malili Secondary School, Mr Robert Masende, at least 10 schoolgirls drop out of school annually due to pregnancy.

However, he said upon completion of the hostel, cases of pregnancy could decrease.

“There are many reasons why schoolgirls conceive and drop out of school. Early initiation and ignorance have cost many schoolgirls. However, poverty and long distances to and from school are also among the leading causes of adolescent pregnancy,” he said.

“Imagine a 15-year-old schoolgirl travelling up to 10 kilometres to and from school daily. A lot of things happen, especially, when they go back home.”

For his part, Busega MP Raphael Chegeni said there were 21 secondary schools in the constituency and most of them did not have hostels.