TOP ECONOMIST ON WHY JANET’S MOVE TO FEED LEARNERS AT SCHOOL IS VERY GOOD ECONOMICS
This enabled enrollment from 2.6 million in 1997 to 7.4 million in 2010 and over 8.7 million in 2019 at dawn of COVID-19. Further consolidation, through phased nation-wide Government school feeding, beginning with UPE schools in 2026 is welcome, fore-sighted and economically feasible.
UPE high-jump enrolment, generated attendant public sector investments: construction, expansion of school facilities- pit latrines, classrooms, teachers’ houses, text books. Also, Teacher Development and Management System, then soon Technical, Vocational, Education and Training, Universal Secondary Education, etc. Government’s liberalization policy added private sector schools.
Government continues to-date is subsidizing elements of primary and tertiary education, across public and private sector, for scaled-up access to education, plus technical skill-equipped generations. Even so, challenges like uniforms and “hunger violence” that drop children from schools remain.
UPE has contributed to Uganda’s literacy from 43% (1997) to 76% in 2024 as UBOS 2024 census results. Government, nonetheless, continues building towards desired educational outcomes. While Education Act (2018) says responsibility of food, transport for children to/ from school is for parents and guardians, the Minister for Education (MoES) and 1st Lady Janet Kataaha in tackling the Tasks ahead, has proposed Government to spearhead nation-wide school feeding intervention from 2026.
Beginning with UPE schools, citizens’ ideological verdict is: work with Government, for innovative ways in rolling out this MoES already tested school feeding in Karamoja, elsewhere by Parents-Teachers Associations (PTAs) like at Gwengdia and Onek J primary schools in Nwoya. What’s experience of SNV similar piloting in Ntungamo and Wakiso, WFP in Nabilatuk? Or Uganda Debt Network and Save-the-Children, jointly at Awach primary school in Gulu? So MoES, continue with open-call ideas for universal school feeding.
Let’s revisit Uganda’s Nutrition Action Plan, School feeding and Nutrition guidelines (2013), Education Act (2018) and NDP IV for stronger synergy of State and Non-State actors, considering their emerging new role towards universal school feeding. With one-off Shs 6 billion budget phased annually for UPE schools, those with land can purchase farm implements. Petty offenders sentenced for community service can deploy the implements in opening up school gardens.
Rather than crops and livestock pictures on school walls, the gardens become actual agricultural and scientific skilling centres for learners. Could PTAs provide parents’ labour every Saturday on school farm, for their children’s food? Or harmonization with Prison farms in Otuke, Kiburara (Kasese), Namalu (Nakapiripirit) and others- for skilling pupils and certified farm input supplies to school farms?
Same under NARO centres- Serere (Teso), Bulindi (Bunyoro) and Karengyere (Kigezi). Can producer groups under Parish Development Model, supply adjacent UPE schools, thus guaranteed domestic markets and local economic development, as Government foots the bill?
With 15 million children in Uganda’s primary schools today (10.7 million- under UPE, 4.3 million- private sector), can Government phase financing for one meal daily at Shs 1,000 per UPE pupil? Thus, Shs 10.7 billion daily, Shs 53.5 billion weekly and Shs 642 billion per term.
By selling off old Government vehicles in yards and garages, trillions saved through Government rationalization and wastage areas, can we foot this bill annually? With economic recovery and expansion from enclave economy in 1960s, UPE remains strategic in Uganda’s Sustainable Development Goals, towards social-economic transformation. The author, Julius Kapwepwe, is based in Kampala-Uganda and can be reached with feedback via: jkapwepwe24@gmail.com .
(For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).