Uganda legislators call for increased inspection of schools

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Members of Parliament have called for stronger and more consistent inspection of schools across the country following the murder of four toddlers at Ggaba Early Childhood Development Centre in Makindye Division, Kampala City.

In the April 2, chilling incident, a man identified as Christopher Okello Onyum was arrested for allegedly raiding the premises and stabbing four toddlers to death.

The trial before a public court at the school premises started on Monday. Onyum, upon standing in the dock, pleaded not guilty to murder.

While legislators refrained from discussing details due to the ongoing judicial process, the incident was cited as a wake-up call on the state of school supervision.

Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu, contributing to the debate, directed a question to the Minister of Education, asking how the government plans to strengthen inspection systems, particularly in both urban and rural areas.

The legislator pointed out that inspection remains weak despite the increasing number of schools.

Citing Makindye Division, the MP noted that the area hosts more than 30 schools, yet has only one school inspector.

This, he argued, makes effective supervision nearly impossible and leaves many institutions operating without adequate oversight.

Concerns were also raised about corruption undermining the inspection process. According to the legislator, some headteachers allegedly compromise inspectors by offering bribes whenever inspections are scheduled, resulting in superficial checks that fail to enforce minimum standards.

“Inspection in schools is not doing well. Schools are doing their own things, and as a result, we are getting this kind of bad news,” the legislator said, emphasising the need for urgent reforms.

The MP further appealed to Parliament to allocate more funding towards inspection services in the upcoming budget.

He argued that increasing financial support would enable the recruitment of more inspectors, facilitate regular monitoring, and ensure compliance with education standards across all schools.

The Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, in response, acknowledged the concerns and urged members of the education committee to take a more active role in pushing policy interventions.

She noted that such matters fall squarely within the committee’s mandate and should be prioritised during budget discussions and oversight activities.

The Speaker also clarified that the facility where the incident occurred was a daycare centre, raising broader questions about whether inspection frameworks adequately cover early childhood learning institutions.

Legislators now want the Ministry of Education to review and expand its inspection scope to include daycare centres and other informal learning facilities, which are often less regulated but cater to vulnerable children.

Other MPs raised concerns over the safety and quality of learning environments and called for stricter enforcement of standards, increased accountability, and better resourcing of inspection bodies.