Government is Committed to Support Early Childhood Education, Says Minister

Government is Committed to Support Early Childhood Education, Says Minister

All for Children: Legislators who subscribe to the Parliamentary Forum for Children and staff from the Kulea Watoto Project pose for a group photograph with Hon. Joyce Kaducu (seated fourth from right) after their meeting in Entebbe. (Photo by Jonathan Ssekitondo for the IRC) 

Hon. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, the state minister for Primary Education stated that the government of Uganda is committed to prioritizing Early Childhood Education (ECE). This was during the meeting convened by Kulea Watoto in partnership with the Parliamentary Forum for Children on the January 30, 2025 at Admas Hotel in Entebbe.

During this meeting the legislators that subscribe to the Parliamentary Forum for Children (UPFC) with support from Kulea Watoto Project presented an Issues Paper titled “Why the Government of Uganda Needs to Prioritize Early Childhood Education (ECE).” The Issues Paper brings to light alarming trends in ECE access and enrollment. For instance, enrollment rates for children aged 3-4 years plummeted to only 40% in 2020, revealing stark disparities in access across the country. Quality in ECE also remains a pressing issue, primarily due to insufficiently trained personnel and a lack of educational resources. The paper recommends that the government needs to amend the Education Act so that government can find directly pre-primary education. 

While speaking to the legislators who subscribe to UPFC in Entebbe, Hon. Kaducu noted that despite financial challenges, the government is making progress in ensuring that early learning is accessible to all children in Uganda. 

“As a government, we understand that foundational learning is crucial for a child's education,” she said. “When this foundation is strong, it brightens a child’s future and helps them reach their full potential.”

Hon. Kaducu mentioned that the government is awaiting a report from the Education Service Review Commission. This report will assess the current state of Early Childhood Care and Education in Uganda and will help the Ministry of Education and Sports improve its approach to education issues.

“The government has recognized that children in early grades are struggling. At Primary 3, nearly 55% of children cannot read or write. This could be due to many missing out on early childhood education programs,” she explained.

She also noted that the government is working on new policies regarding early learning. A School Feeding Policy is being finalized to ensure that children receive meals at school, in collaboration with their parents. 

Hon. Joyce Kaducu addresses the Members of the Parliamentary Forum for Children during the meeting that sat in Entebbe. (Photo by Jonathan Ssekitondo for the IRC)   

The Minister urged the Forum members to support this policy and provide their input once it is shared with the key stakeholders.

Additionally, she highlighted the need to amend the Education Act of 2008, particularly Section 10, which limits public funding for pre-primary education. This limitation has led to underfunded Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs and has placed the financial burden on families, many of whom cannot afford private education. 

The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Forum for Children, Hon. Margaret Makokha, hands over a copy of the Issues Paper on ‘Why Government of Uganda needs to Prioritize Early Childhood Development’ to Hon. Min. Joyce Kaducu. (Photo by Jonathan Ssekitondo for the IRC)  

In closing, Hon. Kaducu reassured the forum members that their concerns have been noted. She encouraged them to identify the best options that the government can consider on financing pre-primary education. 

“We aim to provide one year of pre-primary education for all children in public schools. I challenge this forum to determine the most critical support the government should offer, given our limited resources: is it infrastructure, feeding programs, or human resources? I am fully committed to prioritizing ECE, as it is the foundation of learning. Without it, primary education will not yield the best results," the minister stated.