Compulsory UPE, USE programmes facing Sh324.11b funding gap

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The education ministry (MoES) says it is grappling with a funding gap of shillings 309.16 billion in the next financial year.

The aforementioned funds are in respect to the implementation of the free and compulsory Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme.

According to officials, the initiative was approved two financial years ago by the Cabinet, which then directed the finance ministry (MOFPED) to release the funds.

However, officials say that to date, they are still operating within an available budget of shillings 209.13 billion out of the projected 518.29 billion.

The issue came up on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, during a meeting between the parliamentary education committee, chaired by James Kubeketerya (Bunya East, NRM) and officials from the ministry, including primary education state minister Joyce Moriku Kaducu, sports state minister Peter Ogwang and permanent secretary Dr Kedrace Turyagenda.

Discussions revolved around the Budget Framework Paper (BFP) for the 2026/27 Financial Year (FY).

Closely related to this, documents indicate that the implementation of free Universal Secondary Education (USE), which was scheduled to begin two years after the rollout of free and compulsory UPE, has not been allocated the requisite shillings 14.95 billion.

“I would entirely agree that there are some communities which are so remote that children can’t make it. Some of them have to climb two mountains before they can reach a school, and we know where those places are. But we don’t have the money,” Turyagenda said.

“So, the rollout of UPE, TVET, our children are here on the streets selling g-nuts. If they had a training where they can get skills and feel useful, they would not be there. So, we are aware of this, but it’s basically the financing that’s been a problem. We needed your support yesterday, today and tomorrow,” she said.

Other funding gaps

The aforementioned areas form part of a shillings 1.8 trillion funding deficit the education ministry is grappling with in its 2026/27 indicative budget.

Other most affected areas include the ongoing rehabilitation and expansion of 100 primary teachers' houses requires shillings 42.87 billion, yet only shillings 12.8 billion has been made available.

Similarly, grant aiding for at least 300 schools per year, which would cost shillings 21 billion, has not received any funding.

Efforts to recruit at least 2,100 primary teachers to reduce the pupil-teacher ratio from 60 to 53 are also unfunded, with shillings 19.57 billion still needed.

On the other hand, secondary schools face their own financial strains, including a wage shortfall of Sh17 billion for teachers and a requirement of shillings 172 billion for the construction of staff houses, which is a key Manifesto commitment.

Enhancing salaries for arts teachers alone would cost shillings 186 billion, while grant aiding for 100 secondary schools in sub-counties without facilities demands shillings 66 billion.

Also, shillings 52.8 billion is required to replace worn-out instructional materials, but only shillings 35.8 billion is available.

Last but not least, operationalisation of Bunyoro requires shillings 87.5 billion, Busoga University shillings 30 billion and completion of the Mountains of the Moon lecture complex requires shillings 57.42 billion.

Status of grant aided school

Meanwhile, Derrick Namisi, an official from the education ministry, told MPs that the ministry had completed a mapping exercise through its statistics department and now has a draft report awaiting presentation.

“We noted that the number of sub-counties without secondary schools has grown from where we initially estimated. It is now closer to 1,000 currently from the initial 500. And when we look at primary schools, these ones have also grown in excess of 3,000 schools that we have in our database,” said Namisi.

Adding that going forward, they are looking at issuing circulars to Local Governments and key stakeholders regarding the criteria grant aiding. Noting that at times, they are called upon to take up schools without a school health report.

“The first thing to look at is that if the school is to be taken over by Government, it must meet the basic requirements and minimum standards. There must be a school inspection health report from the district attached to the application of that school. Because at times, you get a school taken up, there are learners, but the school doesn’t even have a latrine, even three classrooms,” he said.

MPs react

However, for many lawmakers, the predicament reflects a Government that bites off more than it can actually chew.

“We have universities that are established, that we have started. We have projects which we started under these universities that we have failed to fulfil, but now we are going in to establish new universities, the current ones that we have, we are not giving them the money that they need,” Irene Linda Mugisa (Fort Portal City Woman MP, NRM) said.

Arguing that it would be far more effective for Government to complete at least 50 per cent of its existing commitments before taking on new ones.

“These universities have already engaged contractors that are on site and working and it means, if we don’t provide funds for these universities, there are charges that are going to be incurred by us at the end of the day. When you look at Mountains of the Moon and see the money that they require and the allocation that they were given of shillings two billion,” she said.

Chipping in, Otuke East County MP Julius Acon Bua (NRM) pointed out with worry that sooner than later, the chickens would come to roost.

“You know we politicians suffer a lot. Since we have won the election, after swearing in, the major question will be on when will our school be taken by the Government,” he warned.

“Therefore, honourable Minister, I request, Government usually takes loans. Is there anywhere we can take a loan? Because if we can take loans for road construction, a singular institution like a hospital, can we also include education to have all these grants aided to be included?” Acon pleaded.

WHAT OTHERS SAY

Grace Akech Okori Moe (Abim District Woman MP, NRM); Of the shillings 172 billion, how many staff houses does the ministry plan to construct because we could do this if we knew the number.

Napore West MP Phillips Lokwang Ilukol (Napore West MP, NRM): I would want to ask, as we were saying that we need to have free and compulsory education, especially for UPE and USE, what does that entail? You must recruit teachers for primary and secondary, and their salary which is indicated as a zero. When you see this particular engagement, I would have supposed the Ministry of Education to have put some of these things, which are basic for the implementation of the President's target for free education, as a priority rather than putting them under.