education 27 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Uganda Secondary Schools Conduct Secret Pregnancy Tests on Girls Amid Policy Void
For over 40 years, Ugandan high schools have enforced pregnancy tests on female students without official guidelines, sparking debates on ethics, consent, and trauma. While administrators defend the practice for discipline and safety, advocates demand parental involvement and regulation. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/education/high-schools-testing-for-pregnancy-in-darkness-5437736
Secondary schools in Uganda have quietly performed pregnancy tests on girls for decades, despite no formal policy from the Ministry of Education and Sports. Administrators maintain the checks are vital to maintain discipline, prevent medical emergencies, and shield institutions from unexpected complications during term time.
Traditionally, rural schools used painful abdominal presses by nurses, causing lasting distress for many, like former student Doreen Ashaba from St Victor Secondary School, who endured two days of pain. Urban and some other facilities now prefer accurate urine tests, though consent remains rare.
Kedrace Turyagyenda, the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, confirmed the longstanding custom lacks guidelines, aimed at avoiding pregnancy surprises. School leaders like Tophiiri Naturinda of Ntungamo Girls Secondary School test at term starts post-holidays, sending positive cases home temporarily but urging post-birth returns.
Priscilla Mukaneza at Ndeeba Secondary School conducts tests at term ends too, notifying parents only upon confirmation. Others, including Moses Asiimwe of Egaju Secondary School, use the process to clarify pregnancy origins and avoid blame.
Advocates like Rose Kigere of Women Rights Initiative call for parental consent via health forms. Douglas Balikuddembe of Set Her Free notes it deters risky behavior but urges standardized methods. In regions like Pallisa and Bukedi, officials and CSOs in 2020 pushed for funded, collaborative testing to combat rising teen pregnancies.
Schools often partner with health centers for professional execution, yet ethical concerns persist without regulation.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)