Over 1 Million Children Exit Primary School Before Completion: Stakeholders Sound Alarm

Uganda faces a significant crisis in its education sector, with an estimated 1.2 million children dropping out before completing primary school each year. This alarming statistic was brought to the forefront during the launch of the “One Million Books Campaign” at Makerere University.

Former Cabinet Minister, Professor Tarsis Kabwegyere, expressed deep concern over the preventable factors contributing to these dropouts, including poverty, child marriages, and teenage pregnancies. He emphasized that every child deserves a “full dosage of education” to foster knowledge, community transformation, and a better quality of life, lamenting that many are denied this opportunity.

“It is terrible that some children don’t complete Primary Seven,” Prof. Kabwegyere stated, stressing that while not every child may pursue a PhD, the fundamental right to a comprehensive education must be universally accessible.

David Ssempala, CEO of Royal Media, described the situation as a “national crisis,” noting that out of approximately 1.7 million pupils starting Primary One, only about 850,000 reach the Primary Leaving Examinations. This means nearly 60% of students are lost along the way.

The “One Million Books Campaign,” organized by the Mind Heritage Africa Foundation, aims to mitigate some of these challenges by distributing educational books to over 1,400 underserved schools, with a special focus on regions like Karamoja.

Dr. Gardner Herbert Rwakiseta, co-founder of the foundation, highlighted the need for a “mindset shift” alongside structural improvements. He believes that while efforts have been made in teacher salaries and infrastructure, “the infrastructure of the mind” also requires significant attention, viewing the book distribution as a means to empower the next generation.

Despite the expansion of Universal Primary Education and Universal Secondary Education, hidden costs like uniforms, meals, and informal fees continue to be barriers for many families, pushing children out of school prematurely. Current Ministry of Education data shows only 60% of primary graduates transition to Senior One, and a further drop to 31% for O-Level to A-Level progression.

Responding to these figures, the Ministry of Education acknowledged teacher shortages but assured that recruitment efforts are underway. They reiterated that ensuring children stay in school is a shared responsibility, calling upon parents, leaders, and civil society to play a more active role.

This information was reported by the Daily Monitor.