By Evans Najuna
KAMPALA – Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Sports is conducting a comprehensive Baseline Education Census (BEC) for all schools and institutions within the formal education system in the country. This exercise is aimed at collecting statistical data and information from all schools and education training institutions across the country. This will ensure generating high quality data to facilitate Planning and policy decisions in the Education Sector.
The exercise is being carried out under a legal framework of Section 3 of the UBOS ACT, CAP 3, which mandates to coordinate, monitor and supervise the National Statistical System.
Among the major objectives of this exercise is to; generate comprehensive education baseline statistics of all schools and institutions in the formal education system of Uganda to facilitate appropriate planning, policy formulation and the decision-making processes at the different levels of the country’s education system. The exercise will also a list of all formal schools and institutions in the formal education system in the country by level of education. In addition, the exercise will collect baseline statistics on learners in all formal schools and institutions to establish the accurate number of Students and Pupils registered across the Country. This exercise will also establish baseline statistics on teaching and non-teaching staff in all formal schools and institutions to address Systemic issues such as ghost learners, teacher absenteeism and data inconsistencies within the Sector.
According to UBOS establish baseline statistics on infrastructure and instructional materials within formal schools/institutions. Though one would ask what exact schools will be Enumerated? I has been revealed that, the exercise will cover all learning Institutions in the Country for both Government and Private establishments namely, Pre –Primary, Primary, Secondary, Vocational and Higher Institutions of Learning.
The exercise started on 7th April 2025, starting with Greater Kampala Metropolitan Areas of (Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono) and is expected to resume to the rest of the country with the beginning of this second term.
What Tools will be used to collect the Data? Data will be collected using Computer-Assisted Personal Interviewing (CAPI) technology to ensure accuracy and minimize data entry errors. This approach leverages on digital technology to minimize errors and improve the quality of data collected.
The Baseline Census will collect different categories of information including Learner Information like; Name, date of birth, sex, nationality, NIN/Work, Permit/Refugee ID, and special needs status. It will also capture information ont teaching staff including their Names, date of birth, sex, nationality, NIN/Work, Permit/Refugee ID, subjects taught, TMIS (Teacher Management Information System) number, highest teaching qualification, and highest level of education. Non-teaching staff will also be captured including their Name, date of birth, sex, nationality, job title and identification documents.
Data like Institution Identity; EMIS (Education Management Information System) number, operational status, license and registration status will also be captured. The location of these institutions on to which District, County, sub county/division, parish, village/-Zone/Cell, and GPS coordinates. Institution details like the level and type of institution, ownership, year of founding, UPE/USE status, and contact details will also be necessary in this exercise. The infrastructure number and size of classrooms, Labs, Libraries, washrooms, teacher houses, and sports facilities are also key this survey. More so the details of learning materials including Number of textbooks per subject and teaching guides. Other information to be captured includes water and sanitation, their condition and access to WASH facilities. The other focus is also on energy supply like the source and reliability of electricity or other power sources.
From pre-primary to middle primary (P.1 to P.5), the enumerator will capture records of each individual learner found at the school, with the class teacher serving as the main respondent.Whereas for upper primary (P.6 to P.7), secondary schools, international schools, certificate and diploma-awarding institutions, individual learners will be the main respondents.
It is under tertiary institutions where this survey will capture university data at an aggregated level obtained from Administrative records. All teaching and non-teaching staff will have their information recorded individually. Each Enumerator will have an official identification Card. The ID’s will have a QR Code which when scanned will take you straight to the UBOS Website. And each Enumerator will have to present a Letter of Introduction from UBOS, accompanied by BEC guide.
As stipulated in the UBOS ACT Chapter 18, Uganda Bureau of Statistics is mandated to make sure the information collected in this exercise is confidential and will be used for only statistical purposes, without jeopardizing the identity and particulars of any individual respondent.