The Minister of Education, Jessica Alupo (left) talks to her predecessor, Geraldine Bitamazire during the closure of international conference on governance and service delivery in developing economies at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala on August 27, 2015. Photos/ Francis Emorut

By Francis Emorut

The Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Sports, Jessica Alupo has hailed her predecessor Geraldine Bitamazire for spearheading Universal Primary Education and for mentoring her.

"I would like to thank Bitamazire for mentoring me. She keeps her phone on even after midnight when I call her she responds to me," Alupo stated.

She said the former education minister has always guided her when she is in a tight situation.

She also praised Francis Lubanga, the former permanent secretary who served long in the ministry for his guidance.

The minister was speaking at the closure of the three-day international conference on governance and service delivery at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala on Thursday.

She informed delegates from 50 countries that the former minister was instrumental in championing the Universal Primary Education in 1997 when it was introduced.

Alupo said there has been a significant improvement in the enrolment of pupils from 2.5m in 1997 to 7.1m pupils this financial year.


The Minister of Education, Jessica Alupo (centre) receives a gift from her predecessor, Geraldine Bitamazire(right) and Mary Mugenyi the vice chairperson Governing Council of Uganda  Management Institute during the closure of international conference on governance and service delivery in developing economies at Imperial Royale Hotel in Kampala on August 27, 2015.


She implored government officials, academicians, researchers and scholars to use the solution arrived at the conference to inform government policy formulation and implementation.

Dr. James Nkata, the director general of Uganda Management Institute, asked the government to implement policies designed.

"Uganda has best policies in Africa but when it comes to implementation, we are doing badly," Nkata said.

He said solutions for public sector reforms, e-governance, monitoring and evaluation and how to tackle corruption as far as service delivery is concerned would be published in Uganda Journal and shared with policy makers and policy implementers.

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