Beyond access: securing quality education and the future of Uganda’s learners

What the report says

Uganda’s Universal Primary Education programme, launched in 1997, is credited with sharply expanding access to schooling and reducing gaps between boys and girls and between richer and poorer families. In a viewpoint published by The Observer, the author argues that the main policy challenge has now shifted from access to completion and learning outcomes. The article says that while about 900,000 candidates are registered for the 2026 Primary Leaving Examination, only around 44 out of every 100 children who enter Primary One eventually sit the exam, meaning many pupils do not finish the full primary cycle.

The piece says the drop-off is driven by several linked problems, including chronic underfunding, overcrowded classrooms, limited teacher recruitment, and weak school infrastructure. It also points to long distances to secondary schools, especially in many sub-counties that reportedly lack one, as well as financial pressure on families and social factors such as early marriage in some areas. These barriers, the author says, make it harder for children to move from primary to post-primary education.

The article also discusses anti-corruption efforts targeting ghost pupils, illegal fees, and misuse of capitation funds, saying these have exposed accountability gaps in schools. It calls for a broader strategy involving better funding, more teachers, expanded secondary and technical schools, stronger monitoring of learners, and continued community engagement. The overall message is that Uganda must now focus not just on enrolling children, but on ensuring they stay in school, learn well, and progress further.