Using Zero Money to Tackle the Challenges of Universal Education in Africa: A Case of Universal Secondary Education in Uganda

Abstract

Education is without a doubt, the sector that holds the key to transformational national development and Uganda’s ability to compete in the global marketplace. It is singularly the sector that has experienced the worst type of decline in relation to standards, quality and value in Africa. However, the 1990 World Conference on Education for All launched in Jomtien, Thailand rightly called attention to improving education through better management and expanded access to primary education systems with little attention to secondary education. Therefore, Government of Uganda through the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) with support from development partners introduced Universal Education in both primary and secondary schools throughout the country from 1997 and 2006 respectively. The intention was to remove barriers to education, provide flexible and responsive support, and facilitate lifelong learning for all. Despite the fact that, the government continues to encourage families to send all their school-going-age children to Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools; the programme has not received the attention it deserves from either the public or the private sector in Uganda. Therefore, this theoretical paper seeks to discuss the unequal learning outcomes among children of different races, ethnic groups and social economic background in all regions of the country. This paper is organized in the following manner; Part I begins with a background and education systems of Uganda, while Part II discusses the major challenges the government is facing in enhancing access, quality to affordable education. Finally, Part III covers practical policy implications and Part IV gives concluding remarks and identifies gaps for research