By KT Reporter
Leaders in Koboko District and women activists have raised a red flag over what they call the high girl-child school dropout and teenage pregnancy rates in the district.
During belated Women’s Day celebrations held on Friday in Lobule Sub County, the leaders demanded immediate action from the government and other stakeholders to address these issues.
According to Community-Based Organization reports, out of every ten homesteads in Koboko, at least seven have teenage mothers, while five have a girl child who has dropped out of school.
Poor parental control and rampant, unregulated night discos have been blamed for the girl child’s challenges, particularly since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Without giving specifics of the figures, Dr. Sharifa Aate, the Woman MP for Koboko District, says that if not urgently addressed, the current school dropout rate for female children, coupled with increasing teenage pregnancies, could ruin the future of the current generation.
Meanwhile, Deborah Anecho, an officer from Uganda Government Prisons Koboko and a woman activist, urges parents to prioritize girls’ education so they can become useful citizens and leaders of the country.
Suleiman Banga, the LC 3 Chairman of Lobule Sub County, encourages women leaders in the district to be role models for the girl child by supporting them to remain in school and pursue skills enhancement.
However, according to Samuel Abe, the Refugee Welfare Council 3 Chairperson of Lobule Settlement, girls should prioritize education over marriage if they are to succeed in life.
In line with this year’s theme, Accelerate Action for Gender Equality, leaders have been challenged to be gender proactive and give the girl child priority in order to secure a better future for them as leaders and mothers of the nation-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
