Education in Uganda

Pre-Primary Level

This is the first level of education in Uganda. Early Childhood Development has proven to show a significant impact on the subsequent performance of a child in basic education. Pre-school (Pre-primary) programs enable children to grow and thrive, physically, socially, emotionally and cognitively.

In the 1980’s and 1990’s over 95 percent of children were directly enrolled into primary education without going through the pre-primary level. Some of the attributed reasons included the scarcity of schools, poverty, ignorance and limited support by government. With the implementation of the pre-primary level, students have the opportunity to excel in their future studies.

Enhancement of Public-Private Partnership - The government has enhanced the relationship between the two as a strategy for people to have access to quality pre-primary education.

Increased the number of Pre-Primary Caregivers - Privately owned institutions and organizations such as the YMCA and the YWCA, have contributed immensely towards the training and placement of nursery school teachers.

Primary Education Level

Primary education in Uganda is in many ways the core of the schooling system. Over the years, a greater number of learners have been introduced at the primary level than at any other level of education. The largest share of spending being on primary education also reflected this. Most important however, is the fact that primary education builds the bedrock of human capital development. In an effort to increase the level and pace of economic growth, and to raise the productivity and earnings of citizens, the government has focused on increasing investment in Primary Education, which acts as a benchmark for other proceeding levels of eductaion. A number of developments have been recorded with regards to Primary Education between 1986 (when the NRM liberated Uganda) and 2012. Their greatest achievement was the introduction of the Universal Primary Education program in January of 1997. This program originally provided free primary school education for up to four children from every Ugandan household. This initiative was later extended to all children.

Main achievements under the Primary Education Level

• Introduction of Universal Primary Education - The introduction of the UPE (a pro-poor program), by the NRM in January of 1997, was part of the reform on the 10 points program aimed at improving access, equity, and quality of primary education with the goal of eradicating illiteracy and transforming society, uplifting it from the doldrums of poverty. The main goal of UPE therefore, was to provide the minimum necessary facilities and resources to enable Ugandan children of school-going age to enter and remain in school and successfully complete the primary cycle of education.
• Advocacy for the education of young girls
• Introduction of the hardship allowances to primary school teachers - Hardship allowances are 20% of the basic salary for hard-to-reach, hard to stay areas.
• Rehabilitation of War affected schools in the Northern Region
• Revision of the primary school curriculum to meet the standards of the changing dynamics
• Recruitment of more and better trained teachers
• Construction of government schools and grant aiding of community schools
• Construction of classrooms

Secondary Education Level

When His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni came to power in 1986, he came with a vision of redesigning the educational system by focusing on basic education. Among his Cabinet, and the majority of stakeholders picked, the majority were interested in the UPE policy. This was later launched in 1997 as a presidential pledge in his 1996 manifesto. Immediately after its introduction, there was a spontaneous increase in enrolment. From the time the program began, the number of pupils increased from 2.7 million to over 7.2 million pupils by 2003. Too much pressure was imposed on the existing facilities in Post-Primary Education and Training (PPET) institutions, which could only absorb 50% of pupils entering Secondary Schools. To handle the pressure that was created by the introduction of UPE and to enhance its sustainability, The Ministry of Education and Sports (TMM) as well as the Cabinet had to come up with a number of policies at the Post-Primary Levels (Secondary, BTVET and Universities). 

A number of achievements have been registered in implementing secondary education and these include:

• Construction of secondary schools in Uganda - In 1986, there were only 506 secondary schools in Uganda, a number that has since grown to 3,164 out of which 948 are government schools.
  
• Construction of USE Seed Secondary Schools - The construction of seed secondary schools to benefit areas whhere access to Universal Secondary Education was being limited by distance. Construction of the schools was implemented under the Presidential pledges, the African Development Bank and the Bank of Uganda programs.
  
• Teacher recruitment and training of teachers in government secondary schools
  
• Construction of teacher’s houses to address absenteeism
  
• Introduced the Science Education Policy in 2006
  
• Introduced Universal Secondary Education in 2007 - In 2005 the Ugandan government announced that it would implement free Universal Secondary Education (USE) for Ugandans. In 2007 the government delivered on the promise. Across the country hundreds of students who in previous years may have been denied access, flocked to take up this historic opportunity. In implementing USE, Uganda became the first country in Africa to have free secondary education as it aims to raise the number of students attending from a fifth of school age children to universal attendance.
  
• Payment of USE capitation grants -Students in government secondary schools get Shs.41, 000 per head, per term. Those in private secondary schools partnering with the government in the implementation of Universal Secondary Education receive Shs.47, 000 per student, per term.
  
• Review of the Secondary Education Curriculum
  

Business Technical Vocational Education Training (BTVET) Level

BTVET in Uganda is the type of education that empowers students to use their hands, and prepares them to be job-creators rather than job seekers.

By the mid 1980’s, BTVET education had retrogressed and accounted for only 1% of the total enrolment at the post-primary level. The sub-sector was slandered by gender stereotypes and stigma that undermined its performance and expansion, being engineered by colonial and post-colonial events (i.e. two decades of civil war). 

In 1986, a number of rigorous reforms were ushered in to rejuvenate the sub-sector. These reforms aimed at the expansion of the BTVET network in order to counter the rapid growth in enrolment estimated annually at 3.4%; the Education for All (EFA), which saw the adoption of UPE in 1997 and the resultant bulge in enrolments and the eventual demand for places at all levels of post-primary. It is therefore worthy of noting that these reforms have and are still making big strides in the sub-sector.

Achievements of the NRM Government under the BTVET

• Introduction of Universal Post Primary Education and Training (UPPET) - In 2005, the Ugandan government announced that it would embark on free Universal Post Primary Education and Training (UPPET) for Ugandans. The promise was realized in January 2007 when cabinet approved the UPPET policy. The main purpose of the policy was to ensure equitable provision of quality Post Primary Education and Training to all Ugandan students who successfully complete Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) with aggregates ranging from 4 to 28.
  
• Construction of Community Polytechnics
  
• Continued Financing of the Business Technical Vocational Education Training (BTVET)
  

Higher Education

The Higher Education level in Uganda is known as the Post-Secondary system of formal education. Higher Education in Uganda is offered in universities, polytechnic institutes, colleges and other institutions that are affiliated to them.
From 1987 to 1990 government made considerable efforts to revitalize the education system. Government developed the framework for a comprehensive education policy before launching the much needed education program as listed below:

• Promotion of regional and international cooperation in Higher Education
  
• Introduction of Affirmative action
  
• Reforming of Government Admission Policy
  
• Establishment of the loan scheme.
  
• Establishment of Kigumba Petroleum College
  
• Establishment of new public university in Eastern Uganda (Busitema University).
  
• Establishment of both Public other tertiary and private licensed other tertiary institutions
  
• Establishment of Functional Governing Councils
  
• Establishment of quality assurance bodies
  
• Science and Technology Education
  
• Granting Charters and Accreditation of programs