ABOUT UGANDA

The educational system in Uganda

In 1997 compulsory school attendance was introduced in Uganda for primary school age (Universal Primary Education). The school year begins in February and finishes in December. It is made up of three terms (term 1-3), and each term ends with an examination.

From the age of three it is possible for children to attend nursery school. This is similar to the German Kindergarten system, and the final year has a pre-school structure. For this reason it is good for the children to attend nursery school for at least a year, so that the transfer to primary school is easier for them.

Primary school lasts seven years (classes P1- P7), and finishes with an examination.
If these schools are state schools, they are financially partially state-supported. The families have to raise some of the funds themselves, however.

After successfully completing primary school, the children have the possibility of attending senior/secondary school (S1 – S4). The following high school (S5 – S6) is usually in the same school building. At present these schools are not yet generally supported by the state.

After successfully completing high school the young people have the possibility of going to one of the universities.
Because of the political upheavals and financial problems many children have not been able to go to school, even though school attendance is compulsory. It is not unusual for children/young people to be in a class that they - in view of their age - should have completed long ago. As a consequence it can happen that a 10-year-old child starts primary school or an 18-year-old youth starts secondary school.
The proportion of children in the population is very high and the state schools are not able to take in all these children. For this reason there are many private schools. The private schools receive very little assistance from the state, however, and have to support themselves. Children normally have to wear the school uniform of the school they attend, and their families have to raise the money for these additional costs.