9.18m Children Are In Primary School - UBOS Report

 According to the recent results released by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) indicate that a total of 9180000 million children which constitute 20% of total population of Uganda are attending primary schools.

The total population now stands at 45.9 million people. The Education experts whom we talked to say this number has never been there before. The age is which is now in primary school is between 6-12 years. The UBOS report further indicates that children attending pri- Primary school which is between the age of 3-5 years has also increased and now it stands at 4.590 millions.

In the same report the number of children attending secondary schools has also increased and it now at 6,885,000 millions and those who also join post secondary education such as University and other higher learning institutions also shot up and they stand at 5,049000 millions. According to UBOS results over 25 million people are in education system. 

"The results showed that the highest population percentage of learners who were currently attending school in 2024 was primary school going," reads part of the Census report. It is also indicated in the report that the number of children attending primary school in Karamoja sub region has increased to 24.4%.

The report further found out that the total number of pupils that were in school in school in 2024, 8% had disability. The UBOS Census results show that 74% of the total parishes in Uganda has got one Universal Primary School, 57% have one private owned school and 19% has one religious school. "89% of the total parishes in Uganda has a primary School irrespective of the founding body," Reads UBOS Census report.

It is also indicated that Kigezi sub region has the highest number of primary schools with 96% followed by Buganda and Ankole both at 93% and Acholi has 83%. The reports further reveals that 62% of sub counties in Uganda have Universal Secondary school (USE) and 55% of total sub Counties in Uganda has private owned schools and 22% have religious owned secondary schools.

"71% of sub Counties in Uganda have got one secondary school irrespective of founding body," adds the Census report. The report shows that Buganda and Ankole lead the highest secondary schools in sub counties and stand at 86% and followed by Busoga,Kigezi and Tororo and Karamoja has the lowest with 25%.

It is also in the report that 75% of Government districts and Cities have one government owned business and technical school which admits students who finish their secondary education. 94% of districts and cities have got private owned technical schools and 63% are religiously owned. "97% of Districts and Cities in Uganda have got one technical school that awards Diploma and Certificate to Ugandans.

EXPERTS SPEAK OUT

In exclusive interviews with different education experts about the education system according to UBOS results they " The government has improved in education system where the majority of the population can now read and speak English which used not the case in Uganda," says Dr Hilary Birungi a retired Commissioner of Education.

 The head Mistress of Buloba high school says "The government has done well especially in educating a gal child by providing UPE and USE schools in parishes and Sub Counties in Uganda. " Our girls used to have less education compared to boys because parents had little school fees and girls were the majority. But with introduction of USE and UPE all boys and girls get equal education which is a credit to government, " she says. She also thanked UBOS for providing good results when it comes to Education.

"Am impressed to see that over 9 million children are in primary schools and over 6 millions are secondary school," she says.

" I used to feel so bad as a mother to see that girls aged 10-15 leave schools and go to work as house maids due to lack of school fees and and at the end results they get married before even clocking 17 years and they would lose their future," she says. She however asked government to created some employment opportunities for those people who complete tertiary Education.

 "Yes the government has improved in education but it also has to create more jobs for those people such they don't become a problem to it," she says.