World Bank hails Uganda's education
Mar 22, 2012
The World Bank education sector manager for Africa, Peter Materu, has commended the Ministry of Education and Sports over its implementation of the programme for the expansion of secondary education.
By Vision reporter
The World Bank education sector manager for Africa, Peter Materu, has commended the Ministry of Education and Sports over its implementation of the programme for the expansion of secondary education.
Materu was in the country to monitor the progress of World Bank support to Universal Post Primary Education and Training (UPPET), which aims at increasing access to secondary education.
He said implementation of the programme would serve as a lesson to other African countries and also build capacity at the local level.
In 2009, the Government secured $375m (sh930b) from the International Development Agency to support the UPPET programme over a period of 10 years from 2009-2018 implemented in three phases.
The school-based procurement of contractors to build and furnish schools under World Bank Support to Post Primary Education and Training Project is on-going.
A total of 217 secondary schools across the country are currently under construction with completion expected later this year.
The construction of facilities in 442 schools under Phase II is expected to commence this month.
Implementation of this programme involves the construction of physical facilities including classrooms, libraries, multipurpose science rooms, administration blocks, teachers’ houses, water and sanitation facilities.
Under the project, 4,297 new classrooms, 41 administrative blocks, 144 libraries, 405 science rooms, 71 teachers’ houses and 2,296 five-stance latrines will be constructed. A total of 1,864 incomplete classrooms will be completed.
The construction of facilities is managed through a school-based approach, whereby the responsibility for procurement of works and goods is delegated to the boards of governors with support from the education ministry.
The project is part of the strategic plan to improve the quality and enhance efficiency of post primary education in Uganda.