Education Sector Expenditure

Education Sector Expenditure

Education expenditure has dominated public expenditure in Uganda over the years averaging 18% of expenditure outturns over the past decade. However, in the current economic context, Uganda, like other countries in Sub-Saharan Africa must make difficult decisions about mobilizing and allocating resources, especially in light of rising demands from other public service sectors, such as infrastructure or health care (UNESCO, 2011). 

As the budget cycle for FY 2014/15 gathers pace, it is worth noting that this will mark the final year of the current National Development Plan (NDP). However, many of the objectives of the plan have not effectively been met with regard to the education sector. In the education sector, it is notable that situational analyses at the inception of the plan can still be applied to its final year. Many of the infrastructural and human resource constraints at the time continue to characterize the sector.

In financial year 2013/14, the approved budget for the education sector amounted to UGX 2.01 trillion (14.6% of the national budget). The main objectives of this expenditure were, to improve quality and relevance of education at all levels; improve equitable access to education and improve effectiveness and efficiency in the delivery of the education services. However, as the financial year nears an end, the extent to which these objectives will be met has greatly been curtailed due to the budget cuts the sector experienced in the revised budget.

In the NDP period, the transfer of funds direct onto school and teacher accounts in the case of salaries has seen significant improvement in financing education service delivery. The recent reform to release funds to school accounts on a termly basis is a remarkable milestone. The average time taken for schools to receive money after it is released continues to vary, ranging from less than two weeks after the start of term one to more than one month after the start of term two, and more than two months in term three (BMAU – MoFPED, 2011). The challenges of inadequacy however persist, averaging about 5000 UGX per child, per financial year. Further, the capitation grant rates remain constant throughout the financial year despite inflationary tendencies that may occur throughout the year. It is unwise to assume that the cost of instructional material will remain constant throughout the year.  There is need for increasing the capitation grant and the Education Sector should also consider introducing an inflationary parameter in the formula for calculating the capitation grants. 

In 2011, about 10% of Ugandan children of school going age required Special Needs Education (SNE). In the same year, the primary subsector alone had about 197,200 pupils (2.4% of the enrolled number) that required special needs education. It also worth noting, that SNE forms a very important component of the equitable delivery of education services. However, the financing of SNE over the years is extremely inadequate. Further, considering that the available funding remains at the center (MoES), there is no SNE funding at local government level where the service is actually delivered. There an urgent need to increase the level of funding for SNE. Currently, Uganda only has nine (9) SNE schools. While the emphasis has recently been placed on inclusive schools, the infrastructural and human resource challenges cannot allow for the effective delivery of SNE.

Education Budget Cuts to affect Performance

Education Budget Cuts to affect Performance

By Adellah Agaba

As the budget reading gets closer for the new Financial Year 2014/15, many Ugandans have expectations that could be or not be met by the budget projections for the next financial year.

According to the National Budget Frame work Paper for the FY 2014/15, Uganda’s total external debt exposure has increased from USD 2.45bn in June 2007 to USD 6.40bn in December 2013. The domestic debt in the FY 2014/15 is UGX 1,642.2bn and this will make the repayment process even harder putting into consideration that the total expenditure on interest payment is UGX 1,104.8bn on both the domestic and external debt in the FY2014/15.

As Uganda Debt Network, we are concerned with this debt magnitude because this in the end affects different sectors and now focusing more on the Education Sector.

In the National Budget Framework Paper that is in Parliament for discussion and approval, it’s shocking that the education sector has been unjustly given low funds putting into consideration the apparent poor performance that was displayed in the FY 2013/14 especially under Universal Primary Education. The proposed Education budget has been reduced by UGX 62.2bn from 13.5% (UGX 1,761.6bn) to 11.9% (UGX 1,699.4bn) which also means the capitation grant for UPE will reduce from UGX 7,000/= per child per year to UGX 6800/= per year making it about UGX 25/= everyday and UGX 2,265/= per term per child and yet we expect the pupils to survive on this meager fee and be able to perform excellently which in my opinion is a myth. 

In 2013, of all the 560, 784 candidates who sat for the final exams, only 52, 786 passed in division one. A total of 247, 507 students were in division two, 125, 292 in division three while 68, 554 made division four. About 66, 645 pupils failed and were not graded. It was indicated that in about 5,022 primary schools there was no candidate with first grade and now that the budget proposal shows a reduction in the education budget, we await to see what will happen to the pupil’s performance in the FY2014/15.

Budget for Special needs education has continued to reduce to 0.012% of the entire Education budget to the detriment of People living with Disabilities (PWDs) which is absurd. According to a report by National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda, PWDs are faced with limited funding which has led to the lack of adequate special facilities, special skilled teachers and face discrimination which has to some extent forced the disabled children to drop out of school. 

The old saying that “Education is the Key” at this rate might be an illusion if no effort is put in the budgeting process by our leaders to ensure the Education budget is reconsidered before the budget reading so as to empower our children with quality education and motivate our teachers to teach without the constant industrial actions which affect the pupils’ studying consistency. There is need for Government to consider increasing the capitation grant to at least UGX 10,000/= for a start to effectively cater for the pupils needs in school. Teachers’ welfare cannot be left out if we are looking at improved performance in schools and better education system. It’s time to reconsider Government priorities if we are expecting to have good service delivery in the near Future.

For God and My Country.

The writer works with Uganda Debt Network.

Government must invest more in the Education Sector.

Government must invest more in the Education Sector. 

By Adellah Agaba

The Ministry of Education and Sports did a commendable job ensuring that Universal Primary Education was introduced as one of the main policy tool for achieving poverty reduction and human development in the country. This was meant to provide the facilities and resources to enable every child to enter and remain in school until the primary cycle of education is complete, make education equitable in order to eliminate disparities and inequalities, ensure that education is affordable by the majority of Ugandans and reduce poverty by equipping every individual with basic skills. I should say the logic behind this idea is good. But it’s high time an evaluation is done as to whether UPE is achieving its objective looking at the just released Primary Leaving Examination results and pupils’ performance countrywide. 

Of all the 560, 784 candidates who sat for the final exams, only 52, 786 passed in division one. A total of 247, 507 students were in division two, 125, 292 in division three while 68, 554 made division four. About 66, 645 pupils failed and were not graded. It was indicated that in about 5,022 primary schools there was no candidate with first grade. It was also clear that urban schools performed better than their counterparts in rural schools or what the Minister Hon. Jessica Alupo described as “Hard to reach schools”.

If there is any Ugandan who is surprised about the Primary Seven pupils’ poor performance in the just concluded year 2013 and released PLE results, he or she lives on another planet. We all remember the constant on and off teachers’ strikes which were seen as an industrial action by the Uganda National Teachers’ Union protesting Government’s failure to pay them a 20 per cent salary increment even after a series of negotiations with the Government of Uganda. The 90 days ultimatum which was finally brought to an end disorganized pupils and we can’t say this has no bearing with the poor performance exhibited in the just released PLE results countrywide.

Teachers have made it clear that the working conditions are not favorable at all but at the same time we expect them to deliver high quality services. With the introduction of Universal Primary Education, pupils were exempted from paying school fees and as a result parents relaxed leaving everything to the Government ignoring their simple responsibilities like packing a lunch box for their children which affects good intentions of UPE. As a result, class sizes are commonly over 100 pupils and the primary school completion rate is about 25 per cent, and teaching conditions are poor. Teachers’ salary is insufficient for a single person’s basic subsistence. There is no motivation to have the students learn while on empty stomachs which explains the high failure rate in Government schools compared to Private schools. 

Among the challenges also comes the inadequate teachers’ accommodation which can be called insignificant, but is positively related to failure rate. At times the high rates of  absenteeism reflects the challenges faced by the teachers considering many schools lack housing and those that have are in poor condition forcing teachers to rent and hence commute long distances, making it difficult to deliver in class.

Government has made an effort to provide universal primary education, but despite all the efforts, pupils’ performance is still poor. It’s time for the Government of Uganda to make an evaluation of the whole system and invest more in the Education sector for the future of the young generation.

The writer works with Uganda Debt Network

aagaba@udn.or.ug

New Fuel card to Reduce Government Expenditure on vehicles

New Fuel card to Reduce Government Expenditure on vehicles

By Adellah Agaba

Uganda Debt Network would like to applaud and welcome the move by Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development for taking heed to the uproar by citizens and tax payers on Government extravagant expenditure especially on Government Vehicles fueling and service. This was captured in the partnership of Ministry of Finance and United Bank of Africa (UBA) to issue out a fuel card that will manage fuel consumption by Government Vehicles in a move to reduce too much expenditure and as part of finance reforms in the Ministry as stated by state Minister for Investment Gabriel Ajedra.

In 2013, Uganda Debt Network in partnership with the Red Pepper ran a six months campaign on the “Misuse of Government Vehicles” highlighting Government’s high expenditure on a big fleet of vehicles which in time is yielding impact. 

The government policy instrument on vehicles provides for the standardization of vehicles of government officials. However, this policy instrument continues to suffer abuse by the same officials who are obligated to keep government property in good condition. The fuel guzzling, costly vehicles end up making their maintenance costly to the disadvantage of tax payers in the country who still receive poor service delivery at the end of the day.

With the ever-increasing fleet of government vehicles, maintenance costs equally escalate in terms of garage costs, fuel, oils and lubricants. This then bears an implication on Government expenditure and consequently hikes our already huge domestic debt. When all is said and done, Uganda finds herself locked in this vicious cycle of debt and debt repayment. Fiscal indiscipline is one of the main causes of debt arrears as indicated in the Auditor General’s Report of 2010. 

Government’s unbalanced expenditure has led to increased instances of hefty allocations to public administration in the annual budgets and more stringent allocations to service delivery say in hospitals, where the common man benefits and this questions government capacity in setting its priorities. As per the Public Service Standing Orders, in addition to the maintenance of inventories for vehicles, plant and other equipment; log books or operating records must be maintained by recording a vehicle’s history, performance, servicing, overheads, and repairs in sufficient details for periodic assessments to be made of its performance, compared to its cost of upkeep. A public officer shall be held financially responsible for losses incurred on Government property which are due to his or her neglect or fault. 

By end of Financial Year 2005/06 there were at least 8,090 Government vehicles on Uganda’s roads, burning through Ug Shs 29 billion on fuel and another Ug Shs 29 billion on fleet maintenance. The size of fleet and cost of maintenance was even higher since this cost excludes Government motorcycles at the national and Local Government levels. Government also spent Ug Shs 18 billion on purchase of new vehicles, bringing the aggregate expenditure to 76 billion in the same FY. In Financial Year 2006/07, the fuel bill was approximately Ug Shs 24 billion while that for vehicle maintenance stood at t Ug Shs 68 billion; bringing total expenditure to Ug Shs 92 billion. By Financial Year 2009/10, Government expenditure on vehicle maintenance alone had escalated to over Ug Shs 100 billion per the Auditor General’s report June 2010.  

Since the figures have been showing a drastically increasing trend, Uganda Debt Network welcomes the move by Ministry of Finance to regulate Government spending on fuel which is a start of what most people would call patriotism. In respect to the 1995 Constitution of Uganda; Article 17 (d) and (i) which provides for protection and preservation as well as combating corruption and misuse or wastage of public property, it’s upon our public servants to take heed and save the tax payers’ money by spending responsibly. 

The writer works with Uganda Debt Network