Africa-Press – Uganda. The United Kingdom Minster for Africa, Ms Vicky Ford, has joined the government and other stakeholders in highlighting the importance of giving a second chance to pregnant learners to go to school.
“Whereas other girls elsewhere have safely gone back to school, the high pregnancy cases registered in Uganda have negatively affected the girls. Such girls should be encouraged to go back to school,” Ms Ford said.
It is estimated that more than 100,000 girls in Uganda got pregnant during the Covid-19 induced lockdown.
The minister said getting more girls in school is key in supporting equality, economic development and building back better from the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ms Ford made the appeal while officiating at a ground breaking ceremony of a classroom block at Onwards and Upwards, Secondary School in Wakiso District on January 19.
The school is under the Promoting Equality in African Schools (PEAS) project.
Ms Ford also met with students who spoke about the impact two years of school closures have had on them and their aspirations for the future.
The construction of the block is funded by UK and will enable 480 girls and boys to study at this school. PEAS is a not-for-profit operator of low-cost, quality secondary schools and has 28 schools in Uganda with more than 13,500 students enrolled.
The UK has been funding PEAS since 2012 to promote low-cost private education.
Ms Ford said the UK is committed to helping Uganda grow through enterprise and trade.
“We already have more than $790m of investment in Uganda, from supporting smallholder farming to big business,” she said.
The minister also held talks with President Museveni on security, economic and development partnerships.
She also met the human rights defenders, reaffirming the UK’s commitment to promoting freedoms and democracy.
“I gained insights from my frank and wide-ranging discussions with President Museveni, his government and our development partners. I look forward to further engagement in regional security, economic partnership, education, women’s empowerment and tackling Covid-19. I also had discussions with interlocutors about the importance of freedoms and democracy. We want to continue to work with Uganda on these issues,” she added.
Ms Ford also visited the Uganda Virus Research Institute to witness the successes that have resulted from the collaboration between the UK and Uganda on research into HIV and other related diseases.
British High Commissioner to Uganda Kate Airey said: “Minister Ford’s visit demonstrates the UK’s continued commitment to the bilateral relationship.”
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