Bizarre: Ugandan Varsity Asks Female Students To Take Pregnancy Test Before Exams

In what has been described as bizarre by many, a private university in Uganda has asked some female students to take pregnancy tests before they can sit for their final year exams.

Naija News understands that the directive has since caused an uproar as various stakeholders and concerned students have reacted badly.

In the internal memo seen online, the varsity instructed all female nurses and midwifery students to visit a specified Teaching Hospital for a pregnancy test each for a fee of 5,000 Ugandan shillings ($1.30).

“Failure to do so, you will not sit for UNMEB (Uganda Nurses and Midwifery Board) exams,” said the memo.

The directive by the Kampala International University has been branded as discriminatory and unacceptable.

See a cover of the memo below as shared on Twitter by human rights activists:

Naija News understands that the directive was prioritized during parliament on Thursday, with speaker Anita Among describing the order as very unfortunate.

According to her, even younger pupils who had become pregnant before now enjoyed the privilege of sitting for exams.

A feminist in the country, Catherine Kyobutungi, who took to Twitter to berate the directive, also pushed her defence further to ensure the discriminatory order is put aside.

Also, MP Sarah Opendi, called on parliament to ensure no other institution issued such a directive.

“This is total hogwash, discriminatory and unacceptable,” the women’s rights activist Kyobutungi said on Twitter.

The deputy vice-chancellor at the university campus where the midwifery and nursing school is based, Frank Kaharuza Mugisha, subsequently announced that the directive had been rescinded.

“Please focus on getting ready for your exams. I wish you all the best in the forthcoming exams,” he said in a memo, without giving reasons for the initial order.