CHALLENGES ASSOCIATED WITH APPROPRIATE IMPLEMENTATION OF

UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION (UPE) IN UGANDA

1.0 Introduction

This is a concept note for a research paper focused on the challenges to the implementation of
Universal Primary Education (UPE) in Uganda. The emphasis of the study is put on the
education sector and how best these challenges can be eliminated.

1.2 Background

In 1948 United Nations General Assembly adopted and proclaimed a resolution called Universal
Declaration of Human Right. It focused on all spheres of human dignity and equal rights for all
men and women. Education was considered a human right to education and it was declared that
education shall be free at least in elementary and fundamental stage (Randiki, 2002).

Universal Primary Education in Uganda traces its origin from the Kajubi Education Policy
Review Commission Report (1989) which set up the framework for UPE. According to the
Report, the goals of UPE, were to be achieved in phases. By the year 2000, the goal was to
ensure that all the children aged 6-10 years are enrolled and secondly, they complete at least 5
years of schooling in order to be equipped with essential literacy. Numecracy and other skills,
envisaged in the package of basic education. The next stage would be achieving the target of full
universalisation of primary education, covering all the children of the age group 6-13 years
corresponding to grades I-VIII by the year 2010 (Katwire, 2011).

In 1997 Universal Primary Education was enrolled in Uganda with an earlier policy to enroll
four children from a family: two girls and two boys and it had the effect of increasing girls'
enrollment to about 50 percent of total enrolment, thus significantly reducing the gender parity
gap. Currently however, the policy is for all children in the family to attend UPE (Tamuzadde,
2011).

However, there are high rates of illiteracy among pupils to the extent that it later leads to poor
performance in Primary Leaving Exams (PLE) since these pupils cannot read and interpret what
the questions are meaning. This has been subjected to a number of factors and one of the most
common factors is inappropriate implementation. This study intends to examine the challenges
associated with the implementation of UPE in Uganda.

1.3 Statement of the problem

Prior to the enactment of the Universal Primary Education declaration in Uganda at the end of
1997, fewer pupils were in primary schools with its implementation and panelled population
explosion was experienced and children poured out in schools presenting the greatest differences
in age, size and experiences. In this regard given the explosion of children populations in
primary schools, scholars have always questioned the morals of the poor teachers in executing
their work and responsibilities for which they are too few since their number does not increase.
There have also been doubts about the level of infrastructural inputs to accommodate the high
children population. It has also been widely believed that the workload of teachers as school
managers has increased. There is therefore need for sound administration of among other things
personnel finances, time and material resources, management to cope with increased enrolments
as the major tools of implementation to ensure achievement of the desired outcomes. It's
therefore against the background that this research intends to gather empirical data to address the
constraints of UPE implementation in Uganda.

1.4 Objectives of the study

The study will be guided by the following objectives;

1.4.1 General objective

The general objective of the study is to investigate the challenges to the implementation of
universal primary education in Uganda.

1.4.2 Specific objectives

i) To analyze how the existing physical facilities or infrastructures affect UPE implementation

ii) To examine levels of motivation of teachers under UPE and how this affects its
implementation in schools

iii) To suggest possible measures to address the constraints to the implementation of UPE in
Uganda.
1.5 Research questions

i) What are some of the challenges affecting the implementation of the UPE programme?

ii) How have the existing physical facilities affected the implementation of UPE?

iii) What do you suggest to be the levels that can motivate teachers to implement the
programme?

1.6 Justification of the study

The study intends to find out the challenges to the implementation of UPE in Uganda

The study intends to provide knowledge to the already existing literature about universal primary
education implementation

The study will assist the Ministry of Education and Sports to come up with better strategies on
how to implement universal primary education

The study will help to find how much effort the Ministry is putting in place in order to satisfy the
education sector in Uganda.

1.7 Literature Review

There has been a good number of studies carried out in the area of education and its related
problems. However, few works have directly addressed themselves to the constraints of UPE
implementations since its inception. This study will therefore review reports, journals, texts,
newspapers, dissertations and many other sources of information regarding UPE. The study will
draw information from the available literature which will be reviewed under different titles
which will generate themes of analysis for the study.

1.8 Research Methodology

1.8.1 Research design

In order to acquire the needed data, the study will employ a descriptive design, which will be
barked-up with quantitative and qualitative designs that will help to get data through the
questionnaires while the quantitative will use the statistical data. It will be basically to
investigate the challenges to the implementation of UPE in Uganda. A cases study of Masaka
District will be selected and the samples will be drawn from the selected case.

1.8.2 Area of study

The study will be carried out in Masaka district. The Area is located in Central Uganda with a
total population of 335700 according to Uganda Bureau of Statistics, 2020. The main economic
activity is agriculture and trade varying from small shops to big whole sale shops and coffee
production. The area will be chosen due to high numbers of UPE schools but facing a number of
implementation challenges.

1.9 Methods of Data collection

While in the process of collecting data in the field, the researcher will employ quite a number of
methods and these will vary depending on the type of respondents to be interviewed. These will
include in-depth interviews, key informants, focus group discussions and documentary review.

1.10 Data Processing

Data processing will be done after data collection. To ensure completeness and uniformity, it
may necessitate editing which involves checking data errors, gaps and omissions. This will help
the researcher to detect and eliminate errors that could influence the study.

1.11 Data Analysis

Data from the field will be tabulated to show the frequency of responses to the questionnaires
and these will be used to compute percentages in different attributes under the study. The
similarities in the percentages will be deduced to arrive at conclusions.

1.12 Ethical Considerations

Before going to the field for data collection, the researcher will first get a letter of introduction
from the supervisor and the department head of School of Public Health commissioning the
study to go and carry out data collection with the suggested purpose.

1.13 Data presentation

Quantitative data will be presented by use of statistics using graphs and frequency tables while
qualitative data will be presented using paragraphs and columns that will try to review the study
objectives.

References
Katwire, J. (2011). Challenges to the Implementation of UPE in Uganda in Mbarara. Kampala:
KIU.

Randiki, F. (2002). Historical Development of Education. Nairobi: Kenyatta University ECD.

Tamuzadde, B. (2011). The Challenges of Universal Primary Education (UPE) in reduction of

illiteracy: A case study of Irongo Subcounty Luuka District. Kampala: KIU.