The ministry of Education & Sports in conjunction with Uganda Bureau of Statistics –UBOS have officially flagged off the survey aimed at developing the MaterList of Education institutions in Uganda (MEIU). The activity was presided over by Hon. Chrisestom Muyingo the State Minister for Higher Education.
The exercise starts today 11th March & ends 30th April 2019, in all schools (Private/Public) at all levels i.e. pre-primary, Primary, Secondary, BTVET and Higher education. 62 teams comprising of five members each have been dispatched across the country to collect the data.
It will be supported by the Department for International Development –DFID through the Strengthening Education Systems for Improved Learning –SESIL project. The main objective of the exercise is to ascertain the actual number of Education Institutions in the country, develop a sampling frame of education institutions and document the process of the Master list development.
Speaking at the launch of the Master Education Institutions in Uganda (MEIU), the Education Ministry Permanent Secretary, Alex Kakooza, said the exercise will cover schools at all levels from Pre-primary to Tertiary level.
He contends that data obtained from the exercise will help facilitate proper planning for education services, monitoring and evaluation of different education initiatives as well as establish the state of existing schools and institutions.
This exercise includes understanding enrollment of pupils/students and teachers, non-teaching staff, number of classrooms and their status whether permanent or temporary. It is also help establish the ownership of the educational institutions, registration status, school type and whether boarding or day school.
This is the first comprehensive Master Education Institutions in Uganda survey to be undertaken. UBOS conducted a comprehensive mapping of education institutions in 2009 through 2012 in preparation for the 2014 National Population and Housing Census. In addition, the education ministry has been conducting the Annual School Census –ASC.
Over the years, the exercise of updating the list of education institutions has not been done due funding gaps.
Muyingo, says they plan to conduct this project annually subject to availability of resources. He appealed to all stakeholders to embrace the activity.
In her speech read for her by Muyingo, the Education and Minister, Janet Museveni, said more than Shillings 26 billion will be utilized for the project.
A pilot study was undertaken in 12 districts comprising Kaberamaido, Tororo, Manafwa, Lwengo, Kanungu, Otuke, Kotido, Maracha, Mukono, Wakiso, Lamwo, and Rubirizi.
This was aimed at establishing the average time required to get data on proposed indicators, test the possibility of getting the required information from various schools and institutions by level and in respect to the unique characteristics.
