In Zombo District, authorities are grappling with the challenge of reintegrating teenage mothers into the education system as many of them flee into hiding, hindering efforts to facilitate their return to school.
Data from the district education department reveals that schools located along the Uganda-DR Congo border are particularly hard-hit, with over 30 girls reportedly absconding to the DRC after becoming pregnant over the past year.
Presently, the primary school completion rate for boys stands at 47 percent, contrasting starkly with a mere 27 percent for girls, resulting in an overall completion rate of 37 percent for both genders.
Acknowledging the predicament, Nicholas Odeba, Zombo District Education Officer, lamented the challenges faced in tracking and reintegrating pregnant girls into the educational system. He disclosed plans to implement a cross-border ordinance to address the issue effectively.
Cosmas Omirambe, a sexual and reproductive health rights activist in the district, attributed the high dropout rate, particularly among girls, to inadequate parenting. Omirambe urged parents to take a proactive role in the upbringing of their children to prevent such occurrences.
Zombo District is among the West Nile region’s hotspots for teenage pregnancy cases. Between 2020 and 2021, the district recorded over 9,000 instances of teenage pregnancies, as reported by the district community services department.
According to a 2021 report by the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) on teenage pregnancy, West Nile ranks among the top six regions in Uganda with the highest numbers of teenage pregnancies, with districts like Arua, Yumbe, and Zombo bearing the brunt of the crisis.