Uganda's Universal Primary Education policy, launched in 1997, significantly increased access to education, with enrolment surging dramatically. However, nearly three decades later, the challenge has shifted from access to quality and completion. Roughly 900,000 candidates are registered for the 2026 Primary Leaving Examination, but only about 44% of pupils who enter Primary One sit for the exam. This leaves around 56% who never complete the primary cycle.
The roots of this attrition are multiple and well-documented. Chronic underfunding is a central issue, with the government capitation grant of Shs 20,000 per pupil per year often insufficient to sustain instructional materials, maintenance, and basic school operations. Schools rely on parental contributions and internal management, but many vulnerable families cannot provide consistent support. High pupil-teacher ratios persist due to inadequate teacher recruitment and wage bills.
Geographical and infrastructural barriers also compound the problem. According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics Baseline Education Census 2025, over 1,200 sub-counties and town councils lack a secondary school. Many constituencies still lack technical institutions, and pupils who complete primary school often face long distances, high transport costs, or no nearby options. Cultural practices, such as early marriage, further interrupt girls' education in regions like the Ankole-Masaka cattle corridor.
Financial hardship and social norms interact, leading parents to withdraw children for labour or marriage due to immediate economic pressure. Local leaders and communities have not always prioritized tracking individual learners or intervening early when attendance drops. The ministry of Education and Sports has expanded secondary and technical provision, but gaps remain large.
The Anti-corruption efforts led by Minister Balaam Barugahara have focused on ghost pupils, illegal fees, and mismanagement of capitation funds, drawing attention to leakage and weak accountability. These inspections have produced arrests, interdictions, and public exposure of discrepancies between reported enrolment and actual attendance. Minister Balaam deserves credit for his efforts to address corruption in schools.
To secure the future of Uganda's learners, a clearer, multi-layered strategy is needed. The government must move beyond the present per-pupil grant model towards realistic funding levels that cover essential costs and increase the wage bill to support teacher recruitment. Expanding secondary and technical schools in underserved areas should be thoroughly examined with transparent prioritization.
Ultimately, securing the future of Uganda's learners demands a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of attrition and ensures that children who enter school also complete, learn meaningfully, and proceed further. With nearly a million pupils sitting for the Primary Leaving Examination in 2026, the window to design and resource a coherent bottom-up retention and transition strategy is open.
Key points
- The Ugandan government must increase funding for education to address chronic underfunding and support teacher recruitment.
- Geographical and infrastructural barriers, such as lack of secondary schools and technical institutions, hinder learners' progress.
- A multi-layered strategy is needed to address the root causes of attrition and ensure learners complete their education.
