education 30 April 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Auditor General Exposes Dire Infrastructure Crisis in Uganda's USE Schools
A recent Auditor General's report reveals severe shortages in Universal Secondary Education (USE) school facilities, including condemned pit-latrines and crumbling classrooms, endangering students' privacy, safety, and health. Officials blame limited funding while promising budget boosts for labs and renovations. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/use-school-buildings-reach-breaking-point-5441636
Uganda’s Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools are facing a mounting infrastructure crisis, according to the Auditor General’s report for the period ending June 2025. Inspections from September to December 2025 uncovered alarming conditions in hundreds of schools.
At least 233 schools still rely on condemned pit-latrines, far exceeding WHO sanitation standards of one stance per 25 girls and 30-50 boys. This setup compromises privacy, safety, and health for learners.
Classrooms in 252 schools have cracked walls, and roofs in 237 are damaged and rusty, posing risks to students and teachers. Many lack libraries (182 schools), science labs (136 entirely without, 270 poorly equipped), desks, and teacher housing (251 schools).
Overcrowding affects 280 schools, hindering effective learning and contributing to poor performance, as noted in the report. Local officials point to insufficient central government funding as the root cause.
State Minister for Higher Education John Chrysostom Muyingo acknowledged the resource constraints but highlighted upcoming budget allocations for science labs, technology programs, and infrastructure. In contrast, shadow Education Minister Joseph Ssewungu criticized the government’s handling, calling it a ‘total mess’ compared to past regimes.
This echoes prior concerns, like the 2023 UPE report on extreme overcrowding and shortages since 2020.
Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)