A new report has revealed that only 10.3% of Seed Secondary Schools are fully staffed with staffing shortages more prevalent in critical subjects like Sciences, Mathematics, and Geography.
This is contained in the Auditor General’s report for FY 2023/2024 that was presented to Parliament recently.
The Government of Uganda (GoU), in collaboration with the World Bank (WB), has been constructing and operationalizing seed secondary schools in underserved sub-counties. A notable achievement arising from implementation of the programme since 2023 is that both boys and girls experienced an increase in enrolment, reflecting improved access to secondary education facilitated by the establishment of seed secondary schools. Enrolment grew by 47.5% in 2023 and a further 18.5% in 2024, reflecting the success of seed schools in improving accessibility for learners within their communities.
Notably, the proportion of girls enrolled also increased, rising from 45.2% of total enrolment in 2022 to 47.8% in 2023, and further to 49.8% in 2024. This upward trend underscores the pivotal role of seed schools in promoting gender equity by providing greater educational opportunities for girls in underserved communities.
However, the Auditor General notes that staffing shortages in the Seed secondary schools Staffing levels in most schools remain below the approved Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) standards, with only 10.3% of schools fully staffed with staffing shortages more prevalent in critical subjects like Sciences, Mathematics, and Geography.
According to the Auditor General’s report, out of the 259 planned seed schools, 104 seed schools (40.2%) have been completed, 116 seed schools (44.8%) are still under construction, 12 schools (4.6%) are stalled, and 27 schools (10.4%) have not yet started construction as of October 2024.
“Utilization of key infrastructure Field inspections conducted at 37 seed secondary schools revealed gaps in the availability and functionality of critical infrastructure such as classrooms, teacher accommodations, laboratories, libraries and playgrounds. These deficiencies hinder the program’s goal of providing equitable access to quality education and perpetuate disparities in learning outcomes, particularly in underserved regions,” the report reads in part.
It adds: “Access to utilities 46% of the schools lacked electricity; 41% of schools experienced intermittent electricity; 35% of the schools experienced intermittent access to clean water; 8% of the schools lacked access to clean water. In addition, only 38% of schools had reliable internet access, 14% experienced intermittent connectivity, and 49% had no access to the internet at all.”
The report further reveals that Utilization of Information Management Systems TELA (Teacher Effectiveness and Learner Achievement) and E-Inspection system usage remained inadequate (33.5% and 35% respectively), impeding accountability, timely intervention, and effective data-driven decision-making.
Additionally, the total enrolment numbers across the new seed secondary schools showed an overall increase of 74.7% over the years between 2022 and 2024.
“Although enrolment soared, academic results/quality continued to trail national averages, due to persistent resource and teaching capacity constraints,” the report says.
The Auditor General advises the Accounting Officer of the MoES to strengthen oversight mechanisms by assigning dedicated monitoring teams to track construction progress, enforce performance contracts with contractors, and address delays by promptly replacing non-performing contractors.
The Education Ministry should also prioritize and fast-track recruitment for teaching positions in seed secondary schools, particularly for specialized subjects to ensure adequate subject coverage across all seed schools.
