Bukedea District recently reported the participation of twenty pregnant students during their Primary Leaving Examinations, commencing on November 8. Additionally, two pupils who had recently given birth also joined the exams, as disclosed by Stephen Okurut, the district’s education officer. In preparation, the district has arranged for a standby ambulance to provide immediate assistance if any expectant student goes into labor during the examinations. This marks a notable policy shift by the government, allowing pregnant girls to take their exams.
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Stephen Okurut praised the pupils for their bravery and expressed appreciation for the parents who supported and encouraged their daughters to attend school. He expressed his contentment with the fact that all 22 students appeared for the examinations.
On the first day of the exams, the students completed their Mathematics paper in the morning and went on to write the second paper, which included Social Studies and Religious Education, in the afternoon. The remaining final exams are scheduled for the following day, beginning with Integrated Science in the morning and concluding with the English paper.
In October 2021, the Uganda National Examination Board’s executive director directed that all pregnant girls should be allowed to register for the exams, emphasizing that denying them this opportunity during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic would be unfair.
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