Teacher and Facility Shortages Threaten Uganda’s UPE Programme

The Universal Primary Education (UPE) program in Uganda faces a critical threat from teacher shortages and inadequate school infrastructure, according to the latest Auditor General's report for the financial year ending June 2024.
The report highlights severe deficiencies that undermine the quality of education and calls for urgent reforms to address the crisis.
A review of 136 local governments revealed a staffing shortfall of 26,028 teachers, with only 85,073 positions filled out of 111,101 approved slots for primary schools.
This shortage has resulted in a teacher-to-pupil ratio of 1:75, far exceeding the recommended standard of 1:53.
The Auditor General attributed the crisis to a ban on teacher recruitment and insufficient wage budgets.
He recommended that Local Government Accounting Officers engage the Ministry of Public Service and the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development to secure clearances for recruitment and increased wage allocations.
Infrastructure deficiencies also paint a grim picture. A review of 811 schools across 103 local governments found an average classroom-to-pupil ratio of 1:101, nearly double the recommended 1:53.
Additionally, a study of 741 schools in 92 local governments revealed a pit latrine-to-pupil ratio of 1:80, twice the acceptable standard of 1:40.
In many schools, condemned pit latrines are inaccessible, and classrooms in 54 local governments were reported as old, unsafe, and unfit for learning.
These conditions have raised concerns about the safety and effectiveness of the learning environment.
The Auditor General emphasized the need for targeted investments to improve learning conditions and outlined three key areas for immediate action:
- Staffing: Recruitment clearances and increased wage budgets to address teacher shortages.
- Infrastructure: Construction of classrooms and pit latrines to meet growing demand and improve the learning environment.
- Maintenance: Rehabilitation of dilapidated school structures to ensure safety and accessibility.
The report also noted a sharp decline in school facilities grants (SFG), which have reduced by over 50% in the past two financial years, further exacerbating the crisis.
These challenges threaten the sustainability of UPE and its ability to provide quality education to every child.
The Auditor General called for enhanced funding and oversight to reverse current trends and ensure that Uganda’s education standards are safeguarded.