Uganda unveils plan to revamp Dr Obote College among 120 old schools
Government has earmarked 120 traditional secondary schools for phased renovation, prioritising institutions built between the 1960s and 1980s as concerns grow over deteriorating infrastructure.
Minister of State for Education and Sports, Peter Ogwang during plenary on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. (Courtesy: X/@Parliament_Ug)
_________________
The Ministry of Education and Sports has earmarked 120 traditional secondary schools across the country for renovation as Government moves to address the deteriorating condition of old school infrastructure.
The schools, some of which were constructed as far back as the 1960s and 1970s, are increasingly losing learners to newer schools with better infrastructure, according to concerns raised by Members of Parliament.
During plenary on Wednesday, August 26, on Matters of National Importance, Maruzi County MP Peter Obong said many traditional schools were in poor condition compared to newly established institutions.
He asked the Ministry of Education to explain what it was doing to rehabilitate the old schools, noting that parents were increasingly preferring new schools because of their better facilities.
Minister of State for Education and Sports, Peter Ogwang, said the Ministry had developed a programme targeting 120 old schools for phased renovation.
Ogwang said the first phase would focus on schools constructed between the 1960s and 1980s, with several institutions in the Lango sub-region among those selected.
“In Lango sub-region, where you (Obong come from) we shall take renovations of the following in phase one: Combon College, Lango College, St Catherine Girls Secondary School, Dr Obote College Boroboro, Adwari Secondary School and Aloi Secondary School,” Ogwang said.
He described the schools as the first cluster identified for rehabilitation, adding that Government would work with development partners to mobilise additional resources for other schools.
“We are also working with development partners that once resources are available, we are also going to take on another cluster of schools that were built in the 1980s and onwards,” he said.
Ogwang acknowledged that the Government was facing growing infrastructure demands in the education sector, particularly following the construction of Seed Schools and the implementation of the competency-based curriculum.
The Minister, however, said the rehabilitation programme would have to be implemented within the limits of available resources.
MP Joseph Ssewungu expressed concern that many Government schools, particularly those under Universal Primary Education (UPE), had deteriorated to critical levels.
He argued that rehabilitation efforts should be given to UPE schools, many of which he said were in a worse condition than the traditional secondary schools.
“When you talk of rehabilitation of schools, you should talk of UPE schools that majority are already condemned,” Ssewungu said.
He said unlike secondary schools that charge fees, UPE schools depend almost entirely on Government funding, leaving them particularly vulnerable when infrastructure deteriorates.
“Many have no toilets and are in a bad state,” he added.
In response Ogwang said Government was already sending resources to local governments for the renovation and maintenance of schools but acknowledged challenges in ensuring that the funds were properly utilised.
“We send resources for renovation through local governments,” he said, adding that Government needed to strengthen oversight of how the money was spent.
He said local government officials and councils had to be held accountable for resources released for school infrastructure.
Yona Kayogera, the MP for Busiki North County, said his constituency, which has four sub-counties and a population of more than 150,000 people, has only one Government-aided secondary school.
He asked the Ministry to take over Nakanyonyi Secondary School, which is currently owned by the Catholic Church, and establish at least one Government-aided secondary school in each sub-county.
Kayogera said the Catholic Church had for a long time written to the Ministry seeking Government intervention and takeover of the school, but no action had been taken.
Ogwang, however, ruled out immediate grant-aiding of additional schools in sub-counties that already have a government-aided school.
He said the Ministry's priority was to address 904 sub-counties that currently have neither a government-aided secondary school nor a Seed School.
“Our plan is first to address the 904. I implore you that we will not be able to grant aid a school in a sub-county where there is already an existing Government-aided school,” Ogwang said.
He said Government had to prioritise communities that still lacked access to Government-supported secondary education before expanding support to areas that already have a Government school.
Ogwang also responded to concerns over early childhood education, raised by Hoima City MP Asinansi Nyakato, who reminded the Ministry of its earlier commitment to promote early childhood education.
The Minister said early childhood education was not currently within the Ministry's immediate policy priorities, arguing that Government still had major gaps to address under UPE and Universal Secondary Education (USE).
“It is not in our policy to handle the issue of early childhood education. We are concentrating for now on Universal Primary and Universal Secondary. We cannot go downwards when we still have issues of strengthening UPE and USE,” Ogwang said.
The debate highlights the competing infrastructure demands facing the education sector as Government attempts to expand access while also maintaining ageing facilities.