Same District Council has reported that 63 secondary school students have been found pregnant between January and October this year.

District Education Officer responsible for secondary schools, Happiness Laiser, revealed this in a report she presented to the Council Chamber for deliberation. She attributed the high number of pregnancies to long distances girl students walk to and from school.

“The situation is, among other things, fuelled by long distance students walk going to school and back home. They face several temptations on the way,” she said

Laiser told the councillors that in order to overcome the challenge, the Same District Council leadership has initiated a campaign to build hostels for female students. The council has also initiated a public awareness programme on the importance of educating the girl child.

“We have also come up with a new strategy educating the girls on reproductive health,” she said. She added that the district authorities have a liaison with village and ward leaders to establish men behind the pregnancies so that the law can take its course.

Kilimanjaro Regional Commissioner Saidi Meck Sadiki had ordered pregnancy tests to be conducted to pupils and students in primary and secondary schools respectively. From January to August this year, Same District registered some 50 students who were found with pregnancies while Rombo District topped the list with 77 pregnant students.