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Education

Uganda's Universal Primary Education (UPE) Program Under Threat

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Universal Primary Education (UPE) program, introduced in 1997 to provide free and compulsory education to all children, is struggling to operate due to delayed and insufficient government grants. As a result, many UPE and Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools are imposing extra charges on parents, leading to a significant increase in dropout rates, particularly in rural areas.

Key Takeaways:

  • The UPE program has reached 8,824,923 learners across 12,433 government-aided primary schools, with the government picking up a Shs184.49 billion tab.
  • The government has constructed 413 new classrooms, renovated 181 classrooms, and procured and distributed 334 sets of mini laboratory equipment to primary government schools.
  • However, schools are facing chronic underfunding, with the current capitation grant of Shs20,000 per pupil being insufficient to meet operational costs.
  • The Uganda National Teachers Union (Unatu) and the National Planning Authority (NPA) have recommended increasing the grant to Shs59,503 for rural schools and Shs63,546 for urban schools per pupil annually.
  • Despite government efforts to enforce the UPE policy, illegal charging of school fees continues to be a significant problem, with many head teachers and school administrators arrested for violating the policy.
  • Civil society groups are calling on the government to take stronger action against errant school administrators and ensure UPE is truly free and accessible for every Ugandan child.

Statistics:

  • 8,824,923 learners are currently enrolled in UPE schools across 12,433 government-aided primary schools.
  • The government has allocated an annual capitation grant of Shs20,000 per pupil under the UPE program.
  • 413 new classrooms have been constructed, and 181 classrooms have been renovated under the School Facility Grant.
  • The government has procured and distributed 334 sets of mini laboratory equipment to 334 primary government schools.
  • 593 teachers were recruited to facilitate operationalisation of the newly grant-aided secondary schools in sub-counties.
  • 161 seed secondary schools have been constructed under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers (UgIFT) Programme, out of the 259 planned.

Sources:

  • State-of-the-Nation-Address (SONA) delivered by President Museveni in 2025.
  • Saturday Monitor article: "Free UPE, USE schools face funding woes as govt grants delayed"
  • Interview with Wilfred Egesa, an education policy analyst.
  • Interview with Judith Akurut, an education expert.
  • Article by the Uganda National Teachers Union (Unatu) and the National Planning Authority (NPA) on the need to increase the capitation grant.
  • Reports by the Equal Opportunity Commission (EOC) on allegations of illegal charges in UPE schools.
  • Interview with Yusuf Muziransa, the senior communication officer at the EOC.
  • Report by the State House Anti-Corruption Unit on the arrest of a head teacher and seven PTA members in Rukungiri District.
  • Article by the Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) on the warning to school heads against charging illegal fees.
  • Interview with Angella Apio, a retired nursery schoolteacher.

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