The government of Uganda has earmarked Shs27 billion for a nationwide baseline Education Census, aimed at gathering evidence-based data to guide planning and policy in the education sector.
The exercise, which officially began on April 7, 2025, kicked off in the Greater Kampala Metropolitan Area—covering Kampala, Mukono, and Wakiso districts—before being rolled out to the rest of the country.
According to Hon. Joyce Moriku Kaducu, the State Minister for Primary Education, the census will cover all learning institutions, both government and private, across all levels: pre-primary, primary, secondary, vocational, and higher education.
“The exercise will cover every learning institution in Uganda—whether public or private—right from nursery schools to universities,” said Kaducu.
The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) oversees the census and has trained enumerators currently deployed in Greater Kampala. The enumerators will use Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) tools—essentially digital tablets—to collect data, ensuring faster and more accurate statistics.
What the Census Will Cover
The comprehensive exercise will gather information from learners, teaching and non-teaching staff, and the institutions themselves.
For learners, data will include:
- Full name
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Class
- Nationality
- Learner Identification Number (LIN)
- National Identification Number (NIN), student pass, or refugee ID (if applicable)
- Any special needs
Class teachers will assist learners from Pre-Primary to Primary Five during the interviews, while those in primary six and above will respond independently.
Teaching staff will be required to provide:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Nationality
- NIN/Work permit/Refugee ID
- Subjects taught
- Teacher Management Information System (TMIS) number
- Highest teaching qualification
- The highest level of education attained
Non-teaching staff will also be profiled, with data including
- Name
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Nationality
- Job title
- NIN/Work permit/Refugee ID
At the institutional level, the census will capture:
- Name of institution
- EMIS number
- Operational status
- License and registration details
- Exact location (district, sub-county, parish, village, and GPS coordinates)
- Level of education
- Ownership (government or private)
- Type and sex composition
- Year founded
- UPE/USE status
- Contact details (telephone, email, and name of respondent)
The census will also assess infrastructure and resources, such as
- Number and size of classrooms
- Laboratories and libraries
- Toilets and washrooms
- Stores and workshops
- Teacher housing
- Sports facilities
- Textbooks and teaching guides
- Water and sanitation facilities
- Source of electricity
Public Urged to Cooperate
Minister Kaducu called on school administrators, parents, and local authorities to support the census. She urged parents to ensure learners know their correct date of birth, NIN, and LIN to facilitate smooth data collection.
“We appeal to all heads of schools and institutions to fully cooperate with enumerators. Parents must support the exercise by equipping learners with accurate personal information,” she emphasised.
The Education Census is expected to play a vital role in shaping the country’s education landscape, ensuring that policies and programmes are grounded in real-time data.
