The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has urged Uganda to introduce free, government-funded pre-primary education for all children, citing financial barriers that prevent many young learners from accessing early education.
In its review of Uganda’s compliance with children’s rights, released on October 1, 2026, the committee raised concerns about limited access to early childhood education, particularly among children in rural communities and children with disabilities.
The findings highlight the scale of the challenge, with six in 10 Ugandan children reportedly missing out on school before entering primary education.
Research conducted in 2024 by Human Rights Watch and the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights found that fewer than one in 10 Ugandan children aged three to five were enrolled in a registered and licensed pre-primary school.
Uganda provides free primary and secondary education, but pre-primary education remains largely in the hands of private providers under the country’s education framework, leaving parents responsible for paying school fees. Human Rights Watch said the costs place early learning beyond the reach of many low-income families, particularly those in rural areas.
Although Uganda adopted an Early Childhood Care and Education Policy in 2025 to improve equitable access to quality and inclusive early learning, Human Rights Watch argued that the policy does not sufficiently shift responsibility for providing pre-primary education to the government.
The organisation’s Advocacy Director for the Children’s Rights Division, Jo Becker, called on Uganda to expand its existing Universal Primary Education infrastructure to accommodate publicly funded pre-primary education. It also urged Parliament to amend the Education Act to establish universal pre-primary education as a government responsibility.
The committee’s recommendation places early childhood education at the centre of discussions about children’s rights, educational access and equal opportunities, particularly for children whose families cannot afford private preschool fees.
Implementing the recommendation would require Uganda to expand public provision and address the financial barriers preventing children from accessing foundational learning before primary school.
Source: Human Rights Watch, republished by AllAfrica on 8 October 2026.
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