Jinja, Uganda: The Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has issued a stern injunction compelling the Medical Laboratory Training School in Jinja to reinstate, with immediate effect, one Namukisa Sarah, a final-year student who had been discontinued for being pregnant.
The order from EOC came just a day after the Uganda Law Society (ULS) lodged a formal complaint to the commission, challenging the school’s decision as unconstitutional and discriminatory.
Namukisa was discontinued from the institution on May 16, 2025, by Principal Ibwala Moses Ongwalu, citing contravention of institutional Regulation No. 13 and the Ministry of Education’s September 2023 Health Institutions guidelines. The Principal also barred her from sitting for her final examinations scheduled for Friday, June 13.
But the ULS, in its June 10 letter to the EOC, protested the decision taken by the school, describing it as “a matter of grave concern,” and an action that not only violates Namukisa’s right to education but also contravenes constitutional guarantees of equality and non-discrimination.
“This action infringes upon her right to education, which is to be enjoyed by everyone regardless of their health status,” the most perpendicular Vice President, Mr Asiimwe Anthony, wrote. “We request an urgent injunction stopping the school from implementing this order so that Namukisa can sit for her final exams,” he added.
In response to the Radical New Bar, the EOC yesterday, Wednesday, June 11, issued an interim order immediately halting the suspension and directing the school to allow Namukisa to sit for her final examinations scheduled for Friday, June 13, 2025.
“The Commission is of the view that the said regulation and its application is inconsistent with Articles 21 and 30 of the 1995 Constitution,” wrote Joel Cox Ojuko, EOC Vice Chairperson. “You are accordingly ordered to allow her to sit for her final examinations and to refrain from implementing any punitive measures based on her pregnancy status.”
The EOC further warned the school to uphold constitutional rights and desist from discriminatory practices, as the matter is being investigated.
Namukisa’s case has now triggered a wider debate over reproductive rights, access to education for young mothers, and the legality of institutional rules that appear to punish pregnancy among female students in health training institutions.
Human rights advocates welcomed the EOC’s decision as precedent-setting, which they say protects the rights of the girl child. “This ruling affirms that educational institutions cannot invoke pregnancy as a lawful ground for exclusion,” said a Kampala-based gender activist, Ms Edith Atukwase. “It upholds the fundamental principle that the right to education applies equally to all.”
Critics argue that punitive policies not only violate human rights but also compound the vulnerability of young mothers, many of whom already face economic hardship, stigma, and limited access to healthcare.
The injunction is expected to set the tone for education policy reform across Uganda. Analysts predict that similar regulations in other institutions will come under scrutiny for violating the Constitution and the Equal Opportunities Commission Act.
The Commission, in its letter, reiterated the need for schools to embrace inclusive practices: “We urge your full cooperation in upholding constitutional rights and promoting a fair and inclusive learning environment for all students,” it said, adding that the matter remains under formal investigation by the commission.
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