Over 240 teenage mothers resume studies in Kagera through SEQUIP
BUKOBA: A TOTAL of 249 teenage mothers who dropped from school in Kagera region have benefit through alternative education programmes by resuming studies through the Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQUIP).
Among the beneficiaries are Salome Kabakama (18), who is currently pursuing a three-year diploma course in Nursing at the Ndolage Hospital in Muleba district.
She was in Form Three when she dropped out due to early pregnancy.
However, she managed to resume studies through the Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQUIP).
Just like Salome, many other girls in Kagera region and across the country have benefitted through the Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQUIP).
Kagera Regional Education Officer (REO), Mr Michael Lighola highlighted that a total of 249 girls who dropped out due to various causes including early pregnancies have been enrolled during a four-year period through the Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQUIP).
Giving a breakdown, he said during 2021/2022, about 94 girls were registered, 2022/2023 (57), 2023/2024 (32) and 2024/2025 (66) while four centres were offering alternative education pathways-Bukoba Municipality (2), Karagwe and Kyerwa.
“It is encouraging that these girls who dropped out due to a variety of reasons, including pregnancies have shown keen talent and were doing well after resuming their studies. We thank President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan for introducing this initiative,” he said.
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In 2021, the government lifted a ban on pregnant girls and young mothers returning in school, leading to a significant number of girls who had dropped out due to pregnancy rejoining formal education.
The policy change has allowed girls to resume their studies within two years of giving birth or enrol in alternative education programmes.
On 17th October, 2022, the Commissioner for Education Dr Lyabwene Mutahaba launched the Alternative Education Pathways national implementation guidelines in Tanga, saying that the results of the registration for the first year of the SEQUIP implementation show that 3,333 girls were registered for the programme by then.
He said the 3,333 girls were enrolled in their first year of study in 131 centres in 26 Tanzania Mainland regions with a total of 803 teachers.
He noted that the Adult Education Institute was given the goal of enrolling 3,000 girls each year.
He appealed to parents, guardians and communities at large in Tanzania to trace and inspire girls who were compelled to abandon secondary education for various reasons, including pregnancies, to come out and save their academic aspirations.
