NCHE Highlights Funding Shortfalls Hindering Higher Education Oversight

The acting Principal Planning Officer at the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), Dennis Omvia Kaggwa, revealed that inadequate funding has delayed the purchase of additional field vehicles, hampering monitoring efforts across Uganda’s higher education sector.

NCHE, tasked with regulating and ensuring quality in higher learning, currently operates with only three vehicles to supervise more than 258 institutions countrywide. Kaggwa noted ongoing requests to the Ministry of Finance have yet to yield results, limiting reach beyond Kampala.

These concerns surfaced during the Equal Opportunities Commission’s dissemination of its gender and equity compliance report on the 2026/27 National Budget in Kampala on April 29. The commission recommended vehicle acquisitions to enforce uniform quality assurance and prevent urban bias.

Commissioner James Mugisha stressed education’s role as a societal equalizer, insisting NCHE address perceptions favoring institutions like Makerere University. He called for awareness campaigns to affirm equal standards in all public universities.

Recent government-sponsored student placements heavily favor Makerere and Kyambogo, attributed to better infrastructure, but NCHE insists all public institutions deliver comparable education.

Vice Chairperson Joel Cox Ojuko emphasized gender-responsive budgeting for sustainable development, while Senior Compliance Officer Irene Nafungo reported 67% budget compliance. The FY2026/27 budget totals Shs78.25 trillion, with regional allocations prioritizing underserved areas: Northern (28%), Eastern (27%), Western (24%), and Central (21%).

The commission advocates boosting investments in key sectors, enhancing local government transfers, and expanding social protections for equity.

Source: Daily Monitor (Uganda)