Education and child development experts have urged the Ugandan government to increase investment in early childhood development (ECD), warning that funding gaps and recent crises have significantly reversed progress in child health, learning, and well-being.
Speaking at a national stakeholder meeting, Aggrey David Kibenge, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development, emphasised that the period from conception to eight years of age is a critical window for shaping a child’s lifelong outcomes.
He said efforts to expand access to quality pre-primary education have been hampered by public health emergencies such as the COVID-19 pandemic and Ebola outbreaks.
“These disruptions have significantly regressed developmental milestones for children aged three to five, particularly due to poor access to quality care and early learning,” Kibenge said.
He called for increased government funding toward ECD programs in alignment with Uganda Vision 2040, which recognises human capital development as key to inclusive growth and national transformation.
James Kubeeterya, MP for Bunya East, speaking on behalf of Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja, echoed the call, urging policymakers to treat early childhood development as a strategic national investment rather than a routine social service.
“ECD must be integrated into the core of our development agenda. Investing in young children is investing in the future of Uganda,” he said.
Dr. Robin Nandy, UNICEF Representative to Uganda, underscored the need to fast-track reforms in the country’s education policy.
“We must accelerate the revision of the Education Act to remove legislative barriers and ensure equitable access to free primary and early childhood services,” he said.