By KT Reporter
As schools break off for the long festive season, the State Minister for Higher Education, Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo, has warned parents against becoming lax in safeguarding their children, who are increasingly at risk of early pregnancies. Muyingo noted that many children engage in risky behaviour during the holidays, exposing them not only to early pregnancies but also to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV.
He urged parents to remain vigilant, stressing that the extended holiday period leaves many learners idle and vulnerable. In an interview, Muyingo advised parents to ensure their children are meaningfully engaged to avoid situations that may jeopardize their education. According to the Ministry of Education and Sports’ Primary and Secondary School Calendar, schools will officially close for the long holiday on December 6, 2025, and reopen in February 2026.
Teenage pregnancies continue to concern stakeholders in Luwero. In September 2025, Uganda Radio Network (URN) reported that leaders in Luwero District were raising alarm over high rates of teenage pregnancies, warning that the trend threatens the future of the young generation. According to the latest district health report, at least 4,811 girls below the age of 19 became pregnant in the financial year 2024/25. The report further revealed that 44 of them were below the age of 15.
Although this represents a slight decline compared to 4,875 cases in 2023/24, officials said the situation remains alarming. The figures are based on first antenatal care visits registered at health facilities across the district. The report shows that teenage pregnancies are most prevalent in Kamira and Zirobwe town councils, as well as Kamira, Katikamu, and Zirobwe sub-counties.
While the report does not disclose the perpetrators, District Probation Officer Joyce Namigadde blamed relatives, casual labourers, teachers, and boda boda riders for luring young girls into reckless sexual behaviour. Luwero LC5 Chairperson, Erastus Kibirango, said that despite the slight drop in the teenage pregnancy rate from 16.1% to 15.5%, the numbers remain dangerously high.
Kibirango attributed the problem to parental neglect, poverty-driven child labour, and the exposure of young girls to early sex in exchange for money. He noted that efforts to discourage child labour in towns had yielded little success. Luwero District Health Officer, Dr. Innocent Nkonwa, warned that teenage pregnancies exert immense pressure on health facilities, as many young mothers cannot deliver normally and are at risk of complications. He emphasized that the only sustainable solution is to keep girls in school and delay their involvement in sexual activity.
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