The educational landscape in Uganda is dominated by entrenched challenges that continue to hold the country back from its development goals. Problems such as substandard education, weak facilities, insufficiency of tutors, and financial challenges prevail. Despite these challenges, there are some models that have seen some success in the country of nearly 48 million people, and through these, Uganda has made tremendous progress in broadening access to education.

In this piece, we examine the specific context of Uganda's education system and consider how new models and institutions are making a way forward, creating resilience, and encouraging development.

The pervasive challenges

One of the educational barriers in Uganda is unequal access to education throughout society. Uganda has one of the highest rates of exclusion from education in the world. Around 20 percent of primary school children are not enrolled in school, and 12.5 percent of those who were enrolled in school are not attending classes. School charges, inadequate infrastructure, and socio-economic disparities are some of the factors that contribute to these barriers. 

Another issue is that even for those in school, the quality of education is generally poor. Obsolete curricula, the absence of teaching materials, and untrained teachers are responsible for poor learning outcomes. In rural areas, it is more pronounced, further exacerbating the urban-rural divide. 

Finally, financial restraints and the cost of education are major barriers that prevent children from accessing education. Most households face rising and unpredictable school fees, which lead to students dropping out of school. 

Models for resilience and growth

Despite all these issues, several models have been created to promote resilience and growth that have proven successful in Uganda's educational landscape:

UniHouse's Holistic Approach: UniHouse is a global education, training, and career development solutions firm founded in 1999. It collaborates with governments and organizations to offer programs across diverse economic and cultural settings, empowering individuals and companies. 

BRAC Uganda: BRAC has developed education interventions among marginalized children, especially girls, through community schools and mentoring. The Early Childhood Development (ECD) centers and support among adolescent girls have shown measurable gains in learning outcomes.

Educate!: This social enterprise empowers Uganda's secondary school students with entrepreneurship and leadership skills through experiential education. By integrating practical business skills into the curriculum, Educate! closes the gap between education and employment.

School for Life Foundation: Emphasizing rural and poor communities, School for Life provides high-quality primary education with increased emphasis on community participation, teacher training, and infrastructural improvement.

War Child Holland: Based in conflict zones in Uganda, War Child runs fast-tracked learning programmes and psychosocial support for out-of-school or missed year children because of trauma or displacement.

STiR Education: Working with education ministries, STiR supports teacher motivation and innovation. In Uganda, it runs peer-led professional development networks that encourage reflective practice and continuous improvement among educators.

Strategic advisory services

Strategic advisory services are critical to solving Uganda's education problems and facilitating sustainable development. 

Officials must be strategic about policy formulation and implementation, as effective policy is key to enhancing Uganda's education system. This includes updating teacher recruitment and training policy, inclusive curricula that are sensitive to local contexts and languages, and eliminating the hidden school fees that discourage enrolment.

Another potential avenue for improving Uganda's educational sector is public-private partnerships. Governments and the private sector can work together to bridge gaps in resources, especially in school facilities, e-learning, and vocational training. Partnerships can also facilitate the creation of curricula that are aligned with the needs of the labour market, improving employability among young people and giving them skills that match market needs. 

Finally, Uganda should invest in capacity-building initiatives. In-service professional development for teachers and school administrators is essential. Programs that support instructional leadership, school governance, and classroom management can positively affect learning environments.

While there are considerable challenges to Uganda's education system, there are also clear ways forward. Companies and organizations like UniHouse and Shimizu Corporation and grassroots programs like BRAC Uganda, Educate!, and STiR Education provide scalable models for strengthening education systems. With strategic policy reforms, cross-sector coordination, and investment in capacity building, Uganda can create a more resilient and equitable education system. This, in turn, sets a solid foundation for broader socio-economic growth and long-term national development. By Mohamed Mohamud, Global Voices

KTNs Peter Kimani after he was harassed by police officers during the arrest of Former UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala at Kirobon Girls in Nakuru on April 9,2025. [Kipsang Joseph, Standard]

Screams, loud bangs, choking teargas smoke, and chaos featured in live television broadcast on Wednesday during the 9pm News. A group of journalists from across various media houses were at Kirobon High School in Nakuru County after former UDA Secretary General Cleophas Malala was blocked from meeting the Butere Girls drama team.

The Echoes of War playwright was heading to the school to prepare the students for their presentation on Thursday. Police in Land Cruisers had surrounded Malala’s vehicle outside the gate. Journalists in the live stream were seen scampering for their safety as others choked from the tear gas. Others dived to the nearby water drainages where they sought refuge.

Six journalists were injured.

“Let us move, they have thrown teargas at us in the night,” shouted Kennedy Gachuhi, a KTN reporter. A teargas canister exploded behind NTV reporter Ruth Sarmoei, who at the time, was live on air.

Citizen TV’s Maryanne Nyambura was also live but confused and in shock after hearing the loud bang. She was, however, instructed by her colleague Evans Asiba to continue reporting.

Amidst the confusion, smoke, and screams, Nyambura continued to report, before another teargas canister was thrown behind her and exploded.

She screamed live on air as she ran. A few moments later, she shouted that she had been hit on her back. As the live scenes were cut short and they were encouraged to seek safety, she was heard crying.

Nyambura said her mobile phone kept ringing as her siblings and parents kept calling.

“When I did not pick up my phone, my worried family members called my colleague Asiba for update,” she said.

She described the scene as chaotic and ugly.

“I was assaulted, but the police kept pushing me and urging me to leave the scene. Sadly, I got injured. I am still traumatized,” she said.

Nyambura says she intends to record statements with the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA). She said she will have to go back to the hospital for further review.

“IPOA should do thorough investigations. It is not the first time a journalist has been assaulted, and it is sad to see what police officers become when they are brutal,” she said.

A few metres from where she was standing, Sarmoei was doing her live reporting. She did not know that teargas had been thrown behind her until she looked back and saw smoke. She started running.

She says two officers warned them to leave.

“One officer said we had done our work and it was time for them to do theirs.”

Sarmoei says when they went for equipment inside their vehicles, the police attempted to deny them access back to their colleagues.

“We sensed danger, but we did not expect the police to turn chaotic. They used excessive force on 14 harmless people,” recounted Sarmoei.

She wonders what was going through the minds of their relatives who saw them live on air crying at night.

“They assaulted some of our colleagues and became violent. We did nothing wrong and we were only doing our work,” she said.

Sarmoei observed that six of the victims were ladies who found it hard to run in the dark and had to be assisted.

Standard Photographer Joseph Kipsang was pushed into a ditch. He got injured, and his camera broke.

Kipsang says that one of the officers he could not identify pushed him to the ditches, where his right leg was trapped.

“Everyone was running away in multiple directions, not knowing where the next teargas would hit. It is very unfortunate and unforgivable,” said Kipsang.

He says he has worked in the media for over a decade but had never experienced tear gas thrown at night.

As if that same was not enough, the brutality continued on Thursday morning when police officers barred journalists from covering the Butere girls.

When the girls boycotted to play, the police escorted them outside the hall in Melvin Jones Nakuru.

Residents and other students protested in support of the girls, but police tear gassed them when they alighted their bus to vent their issues.

The police tear-gassed the protesters, the students, and the journalists covering the same. Girls scampered to safety while others entered the bus.

The trauma got to some, who started crying and continued venting. By Daniel Chege , The Standard

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania

Tanzania’s main opposition party Chadema has been disqualified from this year’s general election and all by-elections for the next five years after refusing to sign a new electoral code of conduct.

Ramadhani Kailima of the Independent National Electoral Commission made the announcement in the capital Dodoma on Saturday. "The electoral code of conduct is crucial in facilitating free and fair elections, and it is essential for all parties to be involved and to sign the code. It applies to the electoral process for the president, members of parliament, and councillors," he said.

The code, outlining ethical standards for political parties ahead of the October vote, was signed by 18 of the country’s 19 registered parties. Chadema was the only one to decline.

A day earlier, the commission warned that refusing to sign would result in legal and electoral consequences. Chadema Secretary General John Mnyika reiterated the party’s position, saying it would not sign unless major electoral reforms were implemented.

The party’s exclusion stems from its "No Reforms, No Election" stance, which demands an overhaul to Tanzania’s electoral system. Chadema seeks constitutional amendments, new electoral legislation, and an independent electoral commission. The party argues that the current structure heavily favours the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi.

Although the government enacted reforms in 2024, Chadema has rejected them as insufficient.

Observers and civil society groups have raised concerns that excluding one of the country's leading opposition parties could undermine the credibility and inclusiveness of the October vote. The commission said the signed code will be legally enforceable. By Lulu Angelo Sanga , Anadolu Agency