
Education Minister Janet Museveni (with hat) waters a tree she planted at Samson Kalibbala Kamya Seed School in Rakai District on September 23, 2023. The government plan to increase access to secondary education through the establishment of seed schools under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer (UGIFT) Programme is falling short. PHOTO | FILE
The Government plan to increase access to secondary education through the establishment of seed schools under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer (UGIFT) Programme is falling short, performing below standard and behind schedule due to loopholes and gaps in the implementation of the programme, the Auditor General has warned.
In 2007, President Museveni pledged to build a secondary school in every sub-county as part of the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme to increase access to secondary education.
In line with this, the government in 2017 partnered with the World Bank to establish seed schools under Ugift.
These were to be established and operationalised in each Sub county that did not have any secondary school constructing and operationalising seed secondary schools in underserved sub-counties with the World Bank providing funding while the government- specifically the ministries of education and that of Finance and the Local governments were in charge of overseeing and implementing the projects.
In his report for the year 2024, the former Auditor General John Muwanga, unearthed glaring contradictions between what was planned and what is on the ground for the programme that has so far swallowed Shs4.4 trillion, resulting in below average performance of seed schools nine years since the programme started.
The value for Money Audit conducted last year that examined the programme since its inception in financial year 2016/2017 to financial year 2023/2024, reveals that while some gains have been made the programme has faced multiple challenges with planned schools not constructed while the many of the few that have been set up do not meet the standards of the original plans with many of them understaffed, lacking infrastructure and accessibility to key utilities like waters and electricity.
Key government entities, including the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development, and local governments have been faulted for poor oversight and falling short on their obligations.
The audit focused on evaluating the schools' performance in meeting staffing requirements, providing adequate facilities and infrastructure, improving enrolment and retention rates, and enhancing academic performance.
The auditors found that while the government planned to construct 259 seed secondary schools across the country from July 2018 to June 2024, a only 104 schools (40.2 percent) have been completed, 116 schools (44.8 percent) are still under construction, 12 schools (4.6 percent) are stalled, and 27 schools (10.4 percent) had not yet started construction as of October 2024.
Out of the 104 completed Seed Secondary Schools, only 68 (65 percent) had been officially commissioned by the MoES with all the necessary facilities in place.
The Ministry of Finance has been faulted for delayed release or late release of funds, which further hindered progress for projects.
The MoES also indicated slow contract clearance by the Solicitor General, resulting in multiple failed extensions, which slowed progress further.
“The delays in the completion and operationalisation of seed schools were primarily attributed to contractor delays in site construction and weak oversight by the Ministry and local government authorities. Several sites, including those in Districts such as Amuru, Kiryandongo, Nwoya, Ntungamo, and Gulu, were found abandoned at the time of the audit inspection in November 2024, despite the Ministry's guidance to replace non-performing contractors,” the report states.
According to the UgIFT programme operations manual, seed schools were envisioned to have a range factors required for top notch education including sufficient staffing levels with an adequate number of teachers to ensure effective subject coverage, quality of infrastructure, including the availability and functionality of classrooms, facilities such as a science laboratories, ICT libraries, access to clean water and electricity. All schools assessed fell short on one or more of these requirements.
“Of the 259 planned schools, only 40.2 percent were completed, and operationalisation remains uneven, with schools facing staffing gaps, incomplete infrastructure, and delayed commissioning. These issues undermine access to quality secondary education, particularly in underserved communities, and highlight inefficiencies in project implementation and oversight. The programme has partially met its goals of expanding education access but requires more robust mechanisms to address delays, resource allocation, and operational readiness to achieve its intended impact,” the report states.
It adds: “The failure to fully operationalise seed secondary schools as planned denies thousands of school-going-age children access to quality education, burdening communities with inadequate facilities and compelling students to learn in incomplete or poorly resourced environments. These delays undermine the programme's cost-effectiveness, as prolonged timelines result in resource wastage and increased expenses for stalled projects, while also risking erosion of public and stakeholder confidence in the UgIFT programme, potentially discouraging performance and jeopardising future funding for similar initiatives.”
Understaffing
The Ministry of Education is faulted for the staffing gaps where some schools were found with no teachers.
Each seed secondary school is required to have 31 staff members, comprising 25 teaching and six non-teaching positions, to ensure the effective delivery of quality education.
Out of the 117 schools, only 12 were fully staffed, 89 were adequately and moderately staffed, while 15 were under staffed.

Senior One students attend lessons at Muntu Seed Secondary School in Amolatar District on April 18, 2023. The Government plan to increase access to secondary education through the establishment of seed schools under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfer (UGIFT) Programme is falling short. Photo | File
Kigaraale Seed Secondary School, in Kyenjojo District, with 260 enrolled learners, had no teachers at all, leaving the school entirely unstaffed and reliant on unqualified volunteers.
Some schools lacked subject-specific teachers, with the shortages most prominent in subjects like Mathematics, Geography, Biology, Political education, Physical Education, and local languages.
Conversely, some of the schools that were well staffed had a lower enrolment, while others had more students with very few staff.
The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) recommends a maximum enrolment capacity of 1,000 learners per seed school, with a standard teacher-student ratio of 1:40.
Padibe East Seed Secondary School in Lamwo District recorded a of 1:140, with only one teacher catering to 140 learners.
The noted shortfall in staffing levels was attributed to delays in teacher recruitment processes by the MoES and District Education Offices, compounded by the recruitment ban imposed by the government. Last year, the government announced a plan to recruit over 2000 teachers.
“Disparities in teaching staff levels negatively impact the range and quality of subjects taught in seed secondary schools. Without adequate staffing, schools struggle to deliver the full curriculum, resulting in incomplete subject coverage, particularly in specialised and critical areas such as sciences, mathematics, and foreign languages. This compromises students' access to a well-rounded education, affecting their academic performance, skill development, and preparedness for higher education or employment opportunities.”
In December, the government announced a recruitment exercise for 2,000 teachers and non-teaching staff. At the time of the audit, they said they had processed a Shs1.3bn to recruit more teachers. Mr Mugimba Dennis, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Education said the Education Service Commission is currently recruiting 2,852 teachers for 92 schools to cure the staffing challenges.
No utilities
“The majority of schools (46 percent) lacked any electricity; 41 percent of schools experienced intermittent electricity; 35 per cent of schools experienced intermittent access to clean water; 8 percent of the schools lacked access to clean water. In addition, only 38 percent of schools had reliable internet access, 14 percent experienced intermittent connectivity, and 49 percent had no access to the internet at all.”
According to Mr Muwaanga, field inspections revealed gaps in the availability and functionality of critical infrastructure.
Library blocks remained vacant with no shelves or textbooks, and science laboratories across some seed schools had inadequate apparatus or lacked equipment altogether.
At Nyangoma Seed School, Kyotera library space was repurposed as accommodation for the Officer in Charge of Nangoma Police Station.
Only 265 out of 727 employed teachers (36.4 percent) were accommodated on school premises due to limited or inadequate staff housing facilities.
“As a result of these shortcomings, the schools without fully operational laboratories are forced to rely on theoretical instruction for science subjects, depriving students of valuable hands-on learning experiences essential for practical understanding. Despite investments in ICT infrastructure, several challenges hindered the effective utilisation of computer facilities in visited seed secondary schools: computers were stolen, computers were not equipped with the necessary components and software for use, computers were delivered in 2022 but remain uninstalled and stored away, Lack of electricity, rendering the computers unusable,”
Enrolment vs performance
Of the set objectives: construction of seed schools aimed at increasing access to quality lower secondary education in underserved areas and refugee host communities and enhancing access to and improving the quality of secondary education, thereby increasing enrolment and improving learners' academic performance, only enrolment has registered significant wins.
The total enrolment numbers across the new seed secondary schools showed an overall increase of 74.7 percent over the years between 2022 and 2024, with total of 21,440 students last year.
“A notable achievement arising from implementation of the programme since 2023 is that both boys and girls experienced an increase in enrolment, reflecting improved access to secondary education facilitated by the establishment of seed secondary schools. Enrolment grew by 47.5 percent in 2023 and a further 18.5 percent in 2024, reflecting the success of seed schools in improving accessibility for learners within their communities.”
“Notably, the proportion of girls enrolled also increased, rising from 45.2 percent of total enrolment in 2022 to 47.8 percent in 2023, and further to 49.8 percent in 2024. This upward trend underscores the pivotal role of seed schools in promoting gender equity by providing greater educational opportunities for girls in underserved communities.”
However, while the enrollment soared, the quality of education and grades continued to trail national averages.
According to the report, the aforementioned gaps have resulted in below average performance of learners in seed schools. While the number of students in seed schools has gone up, their performance is still wanting compared to the national average.
In 37 sampled schools, the Auditor General reported that for the years 2022 and 2023, the number of candidates sitting for UCE examinations increased from 1,505 to 2,508, marking a growth of 66.6 percent and highlighting the expanding reach of seed schools in enrolling learners from underserved communities.
An analysis by the auditors revealed that in 2022, only 3.4 percent of candidates in seed schools achieved Division 1, compared to the national average of 13.5 percent.
Similarly, 14.5 percent of candidates in seed schools scored in Division 2, which was below the national percentage of 22.2 percent.
The trend continued in 2023 with a slight improvement, where the proportion of candidates scoring Division 1 increased to 5.4 percent below the national average of 17 percent.
“Candidates were still heavily concentrated in Division 4 and Division 9,” the report notes.
Headteachers interviewed for the audit said their pursuit to provide a quality education and post good grades is hindered by staffing gaps, infrastructure, and resources in seed secondary schools.
"Government should make it a point that these are constructed and equipped. You cannot have a library that is not equipped, that is just a room. The government should invest in education more than it is doing right now if it is serious about prioritising education. Mr Filbert Baguma the Secretary General of Unatu said.
“While the UgIFT programme has made significant strides in increasing access and numbers through enrolment to secondary education, the observed performance trends in seed schools indicate that more needs to be done to improve the quality of education delivered. Addressing resource gaps, enhancing teacher support, and strengthening infrastructure will be critical to ensuring that the programme not only expands access but also delivers meaningful and transformative educational outcomes,” the auditor General has recommended .
The Ministry of Education reiterated its commitment to strengthening oversight mechanisms through enhanced inspection and monitoring, promoting active parental and community participation, and ensuring the timely provision of instructional materials.
Additionally, they say they will prioritise the recruitment of adequate teaching staff and the improvement of school infrastructure and utilities to support effective curriculum delivery.
The Ministry also said they are collaborating with relevant MDAs to improve access to utilities and working to adopt short-term solutions like solar power and water pumps for off-grid schools.
Mr Dennis Mugimba, the spokesperson of the Ministry of Education and Sports, told this publication that programme is being implemented in phases, which explains some of the incomplete components.
He further explains that some of the challenges faced, like accessibility to electricity and water, is due to some schools being remote in areas off the national grid .
“Of the 117 schools of the first phase, we have already commissioned 110 under use. Seven have not yet been completed because of contractor issues in the local government. Of 115 of the second phase, 92 are complete and ready for commissioning. We are already recruiting teachers. And each school begins with 31 staff, of which 26 are teachers and five are non-teaching staff, the Education Service Commission is already recruiting. They put out the advert, people applied, so the next thing should be shortlisting.”
He clarified that the 27 schools yet to be constructed are part of the Phase three activities which started last financial year.
“Any place where UGIFT was supposed to be constructed is taking place or has taken place. UGIFT phase three contracts were signed in August last year; those are not yet ready. They have not even finished construction, so we can't talk about them recruiting teachers.”
“When it comes to utilities, it is for connecting to the mains. It is not for installing transformers and taking power to the schools. For example, in some of the places where they are located, the sub-counties don't have the national grid for both power and water. So, we don't use UGIFT money to begin transmission. Yes, UGIFT money is not for connecting transmission; it is supposed to be a connection of the last mile…Where we found it possible, we've dug up boreholes as an immediate intervention. Within the UGIFT funding, “he added