Yiqiao Huang, Grade 11
UWCCSC
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the government ordered an official lockdown where most public places had to be closed. Initially, Ugandans were not sure how long this lockdown would be, but it was done to reduce the spread of COVID-19 by reducing interactions with each other. On 25th March, public and private transport were officially stopped and the borders were closed. This had a big impact on the economic situation of such a low income country. Many people lost their livelihoods and ability to provide for their families. Since several public places such as schools were closed, this had several impacts on the education sector. The government encouraged online learning, but this did not prove effective since forty one percent of the population live in poverty. The loss of access to education also had a greater effect on the females going to school. Due to the increase in poverty among Ugandans, many families had resorted to marrying off their daughters in exchange for bride price or dowry as a means of getting money during those economic hardships.
There was also an increase in the number of teenage pregnancies during this lockdown. Once again due to the rising poverty levels, young girls were taken advantage of sexually in exchange for certain necessity goods such as sanitary pads. It is estimated that the rate of teenage pregnancies increased by seventeen percent during March 2020 and June 2021. Schools remained closed for over seventy seven weeks, which is the longest time all over the world. Students became disinterested in learning after spending such a long time outside the classroom causing many to take on other jobs. Despite the fact that schools were opened for only candidate classes during the pandemic as a way of reverting back to normal, some schools could not afford to open. This was largely due to the fact that the cost of running a school was too high, especially with the support of the school fees with a much lesser number of students. The effects of the pandemic are still felt today, with a large number of teenage girls who had to drop out of school due to pregnancies and with no way to support them and their babies.
Personally, I believe the government could undergo several steps to aid in the solving of this problem. Firstly, it should subsidise government schools and reduce the cost of running them, especially during this time as we experience the economic aftershocks of the pandemic. There has been an increase in the prices of commodity goods and fuel, making it more expensive for families to pay school fees. Secondly, the government should invest more in the industry that produces blue collar jobs for people who are not able to go back to school. Several individuals took on tailoring or hair dressing as a way of making money. A decrease in the number of girls going to school increases the gender gap, reduces the economic output of the country and increases the poverty level with less women having ways to provide for themselves.
Bibliography
DISCLAIMER Uganda POLICY, REGULATORY, and SUPERVISORY COVID-19 RESPONSES for MICROFINANCE CGAP BACKGROUND DOCUMENT. 2020.
“Learn Facts about Uganda, Poverty, and Development.” Opportunity International, opportunity.org/our-impact/where-we-work/uganda-facts-about-poverty#:~:text=In%20Uganda%2C%2041%25%20of%20people. Accessed 22 July 2022.
“Addressing Teenage Pregnancy during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” UNFPA Uganda, 15 Oct. 2021, uganda.unfpa.org/en/news/addressing-teenage-pregnancy-during-covid-19-pandemic. Accessed 22 July 2022.
AfricaNews. “Schools Remain Closed in Uganda for over 77 Weeks due to Covid 19.” Africanews, 2021, www.africanews.com/2021/10/28/schools-remain-closed-in-uganda-for-over-77-weeks-due-to-covid-19//. Accessed 22 July 2022.
Image Courtesy: https://uganda.unfpa.org/en/news/addressing-teenage-pregnancy-during-covid-19-pandemic
There was also an increase in the number of teenage pregnancies during this lockdown. Once again due to the rising poverty levels, young girls were taken advantage of sexually in exchange for certain necessity goods such as sanitary pads. It is estimated that the rate of teenage pregnancies increased by seventeen percent during March 2020 and June 2021. Schools remained closed for over seventy seven weeks, which is the longest time all over the world. Students became disinterested in learning after spending such a long time outside the classroom causing many to take on other jobs. Despite the fact that schools were opened for only candidate classes during the pandemic as a way of reverting back to normal, some schools could not afford to open. This was largely due to the fact that the cost of running a school was too high, especially with the support of the school fees with a much lesser number of students. The effects of the pandemic are still felt today, with a large number of teenage girls who had to drop out of school due to pregnancies and with no way to support them and their babies.
Personally, I believe the government could undergo several steps to aid in the solving of this problem. Firstly, it should subsidise government schools and reduce the cost of running them, especially during this time as we experience the economic aftershocks of the pandemic. There has been an increase in the prices of commodity goods and fuel, making it more expensive for families to pay school fees. Secondly, the government should invest more in the industry that produces blue collar jobs for people who are not able to go back to school. Several individuals took on tailoring or hair dressing as a way of making money. A decrease in the number of girls going to school increases the gender gap, reduces the economic output of the country and increases the poverty level with less women having ways to provide for themselves.
Bibliography
DISCLAIMER Uganda POLICY, REGULATORY, and SUPERVISORY COVID-19 RESPONSES for MICROFINANCE CGAP BACKGROUND DOCUMENT. 2020.
“Learn Facts about Uganda, Poverty, and Development.” Opportunity International, opportunity.org/our-impact/where-we-work/uganda-facts-about-poverty#:~:text=In%20Uganda%2C%2041%25%20of%20people. Accessed 22 July 2022.
“Addressing Teenage Pregnancy during the COVID-19 Pandemic.” UNFPA Uganda, 15 Oct. 2021, uganda.unfpa.org/en/news/addressing-teenage-pregnancy-during-covid-19-pandemic. Accessed 22 July 2022.
AfricaNews. “Schools Remain Closed in Uganda for over 77 Weeks due to Covid 19.” Africanews, 2021, www.africanews.com/2021/10/28/schools-remain-closed-in-uganda-for-over-77-weeks-due-to-covid-19//. Accessed 22 July 2022.
Image Courtesy: https://uganda.unfpa.org/en/news/addressing-teenage-pregnancy-during-covid-19-pandemic
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