By Mike Rwothomio

An 18-year-old Senior Two female learner at Mamba Secondary School in Nebbi District has successfully undergone parturition, delivering a healthy female baby in the girls’ dormitory section.

The incident, which occurred on Tuesday, April 1, 2025, has left local leaders and the community in a state of profound astonishment.

It remains uncertain whether the adolescent mother delivered unassisted or received support from her peers during the intrapartum period.

The school’s Headteacher, Albert Cekecan, described the event as an “unfortunate occurrence.” 

He noted that the learner had recently transferred to Mamba Secondary School from Colleen Secondary School and originates from Asili Vura village.

The delivery coincided with an ongoing school-wide initiative of conducting pregnancy screening for all female learners. The mother’s gravid state had been confirmed just a week prior.

“Following last week’s sports activities, the school’s health coordination unit initiated a pregnancy screening program for all learners, a process still underway with a few Senior One students yet to be tested. Her pregnancy was identified but required additional verification,” Cekecan explained during an interview.

He further noted that the teenage mother and her newborn were promptly referred to a nearby health facility for postnatal care and management.

Agnes Acibu, an enrolled nurse from Padwot Midiere Health Center III, responded swiftly to the situation. Upon arrival, she found that the learner had already completed the second stage of labor. “I arrived to find she had delivered, and the neonate was wrapped. I assessed the infant’s condition and confirmed stability, but the third stage of labor—placental delivery—had not yet occurred. I intervened to manage postpartum hemorrhage and stabilize her,” Acibu recounted.

The neonate, weighing 2.1 kilograms at birth, was transferred along with the mother to Padwot Midiere Health Center III for comprehensive postnatal care and monitoring.

Innocent Obedyo, a clinical officer at the facility, described the event as a “significant surprise,” revealing that the learner was in her eighth month of gestation at the time of delivery. 

“Both the mother and her newborn are now under optimal care at our facility,” he affirmed.

The community remains perplexed, grappling with questions about how the learner concealed her pregnancy from school authorities throughout her gestation period.

In 2022, the government introduced guidelines for the effective management of pregnancy in educational settings. These directives mandate that all schools establish a subcommittee under the School Health Committee to oversee the retention of pregnant learners and facilitate the reintegration of adolescent mothers into the education system.

 The guidelines require periodic pregnancy screening for female learners—at least once per term—following a structured timetable.

However, the 2022 policy, which aimed to provide pregnant learners with a second chance to continue their education, faced significant opposition from religious leaders who contested its implementation.