Early marriages, gender-based violence and household poverty are undermining girls’ education in Uganda, with some dropping out before completing primary school and fewer transitioning to secondary education, the Ministry of Education and Sports has said.
Juliet Muzoora Atuhairwe, Commissioner for Secondary Education, said cultural attitudes that favour boys’ education, alongside domestic responsibilities imposed on girls, continued to limit their opportunities to remain in school and complete their education.
“The girl child is vulnerable because of the so many surrounding factors, the social, cultural factors, the economic factors, where the girl child has for long been looked at as a property just for exchange, for wealth,” Atuhairwe said.
She was speaking during activities to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child, which included girls taking over selected leadership positions in the Ministry of Education and Sports.
Atuhairwe said the challenges become more pronounced as girls advance through primary school and transition to secondary education, with some leaving school because of early marriages, gender-based violence and pressure to care for younger siblings.
She added that poverty forces some families to make difficult decisions about which children to educate, with boys sometimes given priority because parents expect greater economic returns from their education.
However, Atuhairwe said girls who remain in school and overcome these barriers were demonstrating their academic potential, with girls increasingly outperforming boys in examinations, including at Advanced Level.
She called for greater mentorship and support to challenge beliefs that girls are inferior to boys and encourage them to pursue their ambitions.
Atuhairwe also recounted how her family was approached by people seeking to marry her when she was still young, illustrating the pressure girls can face even within communities considered educated.
“After Senior Four, the people had come to my family to say, ‘Please give us your daughter.’ I was just a baby. It was good I didn’t get to know, but when my mother told me later, I was so sad,” she said.
She warned that girls also faced abuse from people expected to protect them, including relatives and teachers, underscoring the need for stronger safeguards.
Dr Cleophus Muyenyi, Commissioner for Pre-primary and Primary Education, said the government was implementing measures to improve girls’ retention and completion rates, including menstrual hygiene facilities, guidance and counselling services.
Uganda has about 10 million pupils enrolled in Universal Primary Education (UPE) schools, up from 5.2 million in 1997 when the programme was introduced, according to the ministry. The figures represent overall enrolment and do not indicate how many girls complete primary education or transition to secondary school.
Muyenyi said senior women teachers in primary schools provide guidance and counselling, particularly to girls approaching puberty, while designated facilities in schools are equipped with water, soap, sanitary pads and spare clothing to support learners during menstruation.
The ministry has also worked with development partners and non-governmental organisations to distribute sanitary pads and train girls to make reusable alternatives.
Other interventions include psychosocial support for learners facing challenges such as HIV-related stigma, assistance for children with special educational needs and guidance and counselling services provided through local governments.
Muyenyi said the government had also banned corporal punishment in schools and encouraged teachers to use alternative disciplinary measures.
During the commemorative activities, a girl took over the commissioner’s office for a day, handling inquiries about school licensing, requests for financial support to schools and additional charges imposed on parents.
“This is also an opportunity to inspire the girl child and even the boy child to know that at a given time in my life I can apply for this job and actually occupy this office and serve this country in this capacity,” Muyenyi said.
Girls’ participation in leadership
Herbert Chidaya, Acting Director of Programme Implementation at Plan International, said giving girls opportunities to participate in leadership and decision-making could build their confidence and prepare them to take up positions of responsibility.
He said the initiative enabled girls to understand how decisions made by public officials affect their lives and communities.
“We are here to interact with the space which the Ministry of Education has provided for our girls to take over some leadership positions in the ministry, so that they can appreciate what leadership is. They can amplify their voices,” Chidaya said.
He said girls needed access to quality education and opportunities to participate in initiatives that affect their communities.
“The confidence which they’re going to get from this experience will definitely contribute to them being strong leaders,” he said.
Chidaya commended the ministry for providing the opportunity, saying such experiences could encourage girls to see themselves as future leaders and active participants in national development.
The International Day of the Girl Child is observed annually to promote girls’ rights and draw attention to challenges affecting their education, safety and opportunities.