The recent expulsion of Namukisa Sarah, a student at Medical Laboratory Training School in Jinja, who was dropped from school on May 16, 2025, because she was pregnant, is a serious worry for Women With A Mission (WWM). She was denied the chance to take her final exams as a result of this action, which was taken right after she was discovered to be pregnant.
According to the 1995 Uganda Constitution as modified, this ruling violates her fundamental rights to equality, education, and nondiscrimination. In addition to violating her fundamental rights, the expulsion and refusal to take her examinations also diminish her self-respect and her right to finish her education.
In a Miscellaneous Application submitted to the Tororo High Court in April 2024, Women With A Mission and other activists contested the validity of required pregnancy tests in schools. The right of learners to receive an education both during and after pregnancy was upheld by the Court in its September 25, 2024, opinion. The Court underlined that pregnant students had to be given fair time off so they can care for their unborn children and finish their education without facing any discrimination.
WWM strongly advises the school administration and pertinent parties to give Namukisa Sarah temporary or interim exams in light of the legal situation. This will respect her right to equality and education by allowing her to finish her course with her peers within the allotted time.
Women With A Mission is still dedicated to standing up for the rights of women and girls who are at risk, making sure that those rights are upheld, and providing them with equitable chances to achieve their academic goals.
We urge the government to enforce the Court’s decision and guarantee that Namukisa Sarah receives the assistance she needs to pursue her education without facing any discrimination.