Ministry to face PAC scrutiny over vocational education delays

______________________

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC/Central) is set to grill the Ministry of Education and Sports on Tuesday next week over implementation gaps in the second phase of the Vocational Education (VE) project.

The committee vice chairperson, Gorett Namugga (Mawogola South, NUP), hinted at this on Thursday, March 20, 2025. This followed a scheduled engagement with officials from the education ministry, led by permanent secretary (PS) Dr Kedrace Turyagenda, which flopped.

The two parties were scheduled to square off over the subject. However, business was paralysed after it emerged that Ketty Lamaro was the entity’s permanent secretary at the time of the project implementation. Efforts by Turyagenda, who is almost three to four months into the job, to ring her predecessor were futile.

“While you were away, we realised that we need to give you more time so that you appear smarter than you have appeared today. Not smarter physically, but in terms of the paperwork that you have brought. You were so smart physically, but in regard to the paperwork, the smartness in submissions lacked,” Namugga ruled.

The $16.7m Vocational Education project, which became effective eight years ago, spans nine districts, including Masaka, Pader, Hoima, and Yumbe. It is funded by a $14.3m (sh53.6b) OPEC Fund for International Development loan, with the government contributing $2.4m (about sh43.04b).

While the project was scheduled to conclude on December 31, 2025, in his report for the 2023/24 fiscal year, Auditor General (AG) Edward Akol noted that it has been plagued by delayed disbursement of funds.

He pointed out that sh27.158b in external financing and sh12.379b in counterpart funding were yet to be disbursed as of June 2024. He attributed this to the continuous retendering of contracts for underperforming contractors, which has further delayed other activities like the supply of furniture and laboratory equipment.

Management Response

Copies of the AG’s report seen by New Vision confirm that management acknowledged the awarding of contracts for three civil works projects: Ogolai, Kilak Corner, and Lokopio Hill technical institutes. Ogolai and Kilak Corner were slated for completion in May this year, while Lokopio Hill was scheduled for completion seven months later.

Regarding Lwengo Technical Institute, officials stated that the contractor failed to meet contractual conditions despite multiple extensions, leading to termination. At the time, a new contractor had been procured, and construction was expected to be completed by December 2025.

“The procurement of equipment will be funded by GOU counterpart funding. However, the funds have not yet been received from the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development. The ministry has written to MOFPED, and a response is awaited,” officials explained.

Adding that, “Once the civil works at the four technical institutes are completed and the equipment procured for all eight technical institutes, the disbursement rate will significantly increase.”