Right now, Uganda is in the middle of an electoral season, with election of President, Members of Parliament, Local Government leaders scheduled to take place in January 2026.
Nominations have been done, and aspirants for various positions have kick-started campaigns, with each carrying a message that they will enable them get supporters, and of course votes, come 2026.
Like me, I know other teachers will be keenly following the candidates’ proposed education agenda to see if they can really solve the current and future challenges.
Currently, the education sector, compared to eight years a go is doing fairly well. The new lower secondary curriculum is well in progress, thousands of new seed secondary schools have been built and teachers recruited, several online systems (EMIS, TMIS) have been launched.
Furthermore, the TVET, and Teacher’s policies have been rolled out, and the much-hyped enhancement of salaries for science teachers, and instructors.
Despite the progress, challenges still persist in Uganda’s education sector, including corruption in teacher recruitment, ghost teachers, mismanagement of grants, high school fees, poor pay for Arts teachers, limited support for ECD, and shortages of essential supplies.
Against this background, our leading presidential candidates have outlined their plans to address these issues.
President Yoweri Museveni and the NRM pledge to expand universal education (UPE, USE, and post-A-Level), recruit thousands of teachers, raise salaries for arts teachers, and modernise the curriculum to match labour-market needs.
The ruling party also promises to strengthen technical and vocational education (TVET), invest in digital learning, and improve school infrastructure nationwide.
On the other hand, the opposition parties emphasise equity, funding, and teacher welfare. Robert Kyagulanyi (NUP) proposes free and compulsory early childhood education (ECD) and primary education with meals, uniforms, and scholastic materials provided by the state, alongside better teacher-pupil ratios and digital learning resources.
Nandala Mafabi of FDC prioritises boosting capitation grants, introducing a national school-feeding policy, and ensuring fair teacher pay.
Meanwhile, Mugisha Muntu (ANT) focuses on improving teacher remuneration, expanding scholarships, and enhancing ICT use in education.
Collectively, their promises reveal broad agreement that Uganda’s education system needs better funding, motivated teachers, and stronger alignment between classroom learning and employable skills.
As a secondary school teacher with 13 years of service, who has also travelled and experienced other education systems abroad, I believe the following should form the foundation of an education manifesto for our next president. Firstly, curriculum reforms must continue.
Although the new lower secondary curriculum was introduced in 2020 and the first cohort sat for UCE in 2024, the A-Level and primary curricula remain unchanged.
Secondly, corruption remains a major obstacle that denies children quality education despite government funding.
A president who decisively tackles corruption will achieve much across all sectors.
Thirdly, digitization and internet access must be prioritised to support learning. Both primary and secondary school learners should have access to computers and Internet to support learning.
Fourthly, fair pay for all teachers is essential, as the 300 percent salary increment for science teachers while leaving Arts teachers behind was unfair.
Also, a system that rewards teachers equally and promotes them based on qualifications should be established. Fifth, the government should establish and support ECD centres because early learning lays the foundation for a child’s lifelong education and development.
Research shows that children who attend quality ECD programmes perform better in primary school, have better social skills, and are more likely to stay in school. Lastly, the growing number of private schools has left government schools, especially seed secondary schools under capacity.
Abolishing school fees in primary and secondary schools would change this, and strengthen public education and restore government schools to their central role.
These are some of the ideas and plans teachers and others are looking for. But our constitution states that power belongs to the people, and so voting for president is for all eligible Ugandans.
In conclusion, Uganda’s education sector stands at a critical point where meaningful reform, strong leadership, and accountability can redefine its future.
The next president has the opportunity to build an education system that is inclusive, equitable, and relevant to today’s world. An education that values both teachers and learners, embraces technology, and upholds integrity in public service.