After four years of intense work across some of the country’s hardest-to-reach districts, the Rising Uganda project, a major national intervention designed to bring out-of-school children back to class, officially closed this week, leaving behind strengthened school systems, renewed community confidence, and more than 110,000 children reintegrated into Uganda’s public education system.
Implemented between 2022 and 2025, the project was led by Plan International Uganda in partnership with the Ministry of Education and Sports, district local governments, and the Strømme Foundation, with funding from Education Above All (EAA) through its Educate A Child program. Its goal was to tackle the persistent challenges that push Uganda’s most vulnerable children – especially girls, children living in poverty, and refugee learners – out of school.
Response to Long-Standing Gaps in Public Education
Rising Uganda was launched at a time when the realities facing government schools had become impossible to ignore. Although teachers, buildings, and instructional materials existed on paper, schools continued to grapple with chronic challenges: low parental engagement, weak school management, inadequate supervision, early marriage, and widespread absenteeism. These problems were especially pronounced in refugee-hosting communities across West Nile, where thousands of children navigated displacement, poverty, and limited access to consistent learning.
District data compiled in 2021 showed staggering numbers of out-of-school children, prompting government and partners to jointly select nine priority districts with the most urgent needs: Kamuli and Buyende in Eastern Uganda; Lira and Alebtong in the mid-north; and Obongi, Yumbe, Adjumani, Madi-Okollo and Nebbi in West Nile.
The project set an initial target to reintegrate 100,000 out-of-school children across 400 government primary schools. By the time of its official close-out this week, it had not only met but exceeded that target, reaching 110,000 learners – a milestone that development partners hailed as proof that public schools, when well supported, can successfully retain children who had once slipped through the cracks.
Retention – especially from Primary Four onwards – recorded significant improvement. Adolescent girls, historically the most at risk of dropout due to early pregnancy, domestic responsibilities, and menstrual hygiene challenges, returned to school in large numbers, thanks to targeted community mobilisation, better facilities, and stronger school management systems.
‘The project has shown that when public schools are well supported to function effectively, the learners return and parents regain confidence,’ Martin Obwoya, Technical Advisor for Education at Plan International Uganda told the Daily Monitor. ‘The systems are in place and the practices are known. What is needed now is consistent monitoring and adequate support for inspection so that schools can sustain the progress made.’
Stronger Systems, Better Schools
Unlike interventions that focus solely on infrastructure or materials, Rising Uganda was built on the understanding that lasting change requires stronger governance and accountability within schools.
To achieve this, district leaders took charge of building capacity among key school and community structures. Trainings were conducted for Baba Clubs, Mama Clubs, GEMS Clubs, SMC members, PTA leaders, and school-based data champions – all positioned to monitor attendance, track learner welfare, and support early identification of children at risk of dropping out.
Districts also formed Project Steering Committees, bringing together LC5 chairpersons, Resident District Commissioners, Chief Administrative Officers, District Education Officers, and heads of department. Their oversight ensured government ownership from the onset and created an accountability chain that strengthened supervision.
At the school level, teachers received refresher training on inclusive education, learner-centered methods, and psychosocial support – critical for refugee settlements where trauma, language barriers, and disrupted learning are common.
While the project did invest significantly in infrastructure, partners emphasised that the ‘hardware’ alone was not the heart of Rising. Rather, it was the systems – the ‘software’ – that held everything together: leadership, community engagement, data management, monitoring, and consistent communication between parents and schools.
Still, the infrastructure impact was substantial. Across the nine districts, Rising Uganda upgraded facilities in 25 schools, constructing 48 new classrooms, renovating 19 blocks, and installing 57 latrine units amounting to 283 stances. These improvements were not cosmetic; they responded to urgent needs of overcrowded schools, single-shift latrines shared by hundreds of learners, and dilapidated structures that were unsafe for children.
In places like Yumbe and Obongi – districts spotlighted for high dropout rates and large refugee populations – teachers reported that the new classrooms and improved Wash facilities made schools visibly more attractive to children and safer for girls during menstruation. This, combined with stronger management systems, helped boost enrolment and retention across the board.
The Sustainability Question
As partners formally signed off the project in late November, attention now shifts to a critical question: will the gains last? District inspectorates, though empowered through the project, still grapple with tight budgets that limit effective supervision – a key pillar in maintaining school standards. Without regular monitoring, the continuity of strengthened systems remains at risk.
Obwoya, however, remains optimistic. He believes sustainability is achievable because district and school leaders have been driving implementation for years. With modest investment – particularly in inspection and community engagement – the improved systems can be maintained.
Plan International Uganda and the government have already submitted a concept note to donors for a potential second phase, though funding discussions are ongoing. Stakeholders argue that extending the model could yield even greater long-term impact, especially in refugee-hosting districts where population pressures remain high.
For many communities, the closure of the project marks not just the end of a programme but the start of a new chapter. Teachers now have better tools. Parents are more involved. Schools are more accountable. And thousands of children, once considered ‘lost’ to the education system, are back in class – some for the first time in years.
During implementation, the project demonstrated that when systems are strengthened, communities are engaged, and schools receive targeted support, public education can thrive even in the most underserved regions. Its impact – from improved governance structures to renewed confidence among parents and learners – shows what is possible when government and development partners work in step.
As the project winds down, implementing partners are clear: foundations have been laid, systems are functioning, and children who were once out of school have returned to the classroom. The next chapter now rests with government structures and district authorities, whose continued oversight and investment will determine whether these gains endure.
Their call is to sustain the progress made under the project. They note it will require consistent monitoring, adequate facilitation of inspection services, and strong community involvement. Without this commitment, thousands of vulnerable children risk sliding back into exclusion.