The importance of reintroducing teenage mothers to formal or informal education cannot be overstated. Education is a fundamental right and a crucial element in the socio-economic development of any individual. However, teenage mothers often face numerous challenges that may lead to their discontinuation of education. This not only affects their personal growth and development but also limits their opportunities for better livelihoods in the future. Moreover, education is a powerful tool that can break the cycle of poverty and empower these young women to contribute positively to their communities. Therefore, it is imperative to create supportive environments and policies that facilitate the return of teenage mothers to the educational system. This will not only enhance their personal and professional prospects but also foster a more inclusive and equitable society. 

A study from UNESCO estimates that globally, around 132 million girls are out of school, including 34.3 million of primary school age, 30 million of lower-secondary school age, and 67.4 million of upper-secondary school age. In many cases, pregnancy is a significant barrier to education access. 

UNESCO further highlights that in sub-Saharan Africa, only about 25% of girls complete their secondary education, and teenage pregnancy is one of the leading causes of school dropout for girls. About half of all teenage mothers in sub-Saharan Africa do not attend school compared to a third of those in other regions.

Uganda is one of the countries with the highest early and forced marriage. Around 46 per cent of all women are married by the age of 18, according to UNICEF 2011 figures, despite the law setting 18 as the legal age of marriage. 

During the first COVID-19 lockdown (between March and June 2020), pregnancies among girls between 15 and 19 increased by 25.5 per cent above their pre-COVID average, while pregnancies among girls between the ages of 10 and 14 increased a staggering 366 per cent. An average of over 32,000 teenage pregnancies is recorded monthly, with 650,000 teenage pregnancies recorded between 2020 and 2021 – this trend is the highest in East Africa, with only 8% of these being able to go back to study. Buganda region registered the highest number of teenage pregnancies at 31,690. 

Today, if all teenage mothers were enrolled back into school and successfully completed, then that would lead to the growth of the economy. The benefits of more girls completing primary education would be even larger, as would the benefits of secondary education. Ending child marriage and improving the education of girls could dramatically improve the standard of living and reduce poverty. 

The economic argument is that women who are girls now, and who wait to marry and have children, are more likely to complete their education and earn more later in life. This will help them to take better care of themselves and their children in the future, increasing their participation in the labor force. Instead of marrying early, earnings in adulthood could increase by 14%, leading to an overall increase of one percent in earnings in the population. Today, such gains in the labor force are estimated at US$514 million per year. The benefits of more girls completing primary and secondary education would be even larger. 

These statistics underline the critical need for interventions to support the reintegration of teenage mothers into the education system in Uganda, which Alora is trying to support, not only for teenage mothers but also for those dropped out due to financial constraints.