The Justice Forum (JEEMA) has called for urgent reforms in Uganda’s education sector, urging government to increase funding for public schools and integrate moral and ethical training into the curriculum as schools reopen for the second term of the 2026 academic year.
The party spokesperson, Swaib Kaggwa Nsereko, said Uganda’s education system requires what he termed “serious investment and moral reorientation” if the country is to produce competent and responsible citizens.
JEEMA argued that education should go beyond academic performance, saying schools must focus on shaping discipline, integrity and civic responsibility among learners.
“Education is not merely about passing examinations; it is about shaping citizens of character, discipline, and responsibility,” the statement read in part.
The party urged school administrators, teachers and parents to reinforce moral and ethical instruction alongside the Competence-Based Curriculum (CBC), which is currently being implemented in Uganda’s education system.
JEEMA further called for what it described as a “national prioritisation of education,” saying Uganda risks lagging behind if investment in schools remains insufficient.
In its statement, the party compared Uganda’s education spending with neighbouring countries, alleging that Kenya and Burundi allocate significantly higher shares of their national budgets to education, which JEEMA says has resulted in more competitive graduates.
The opposition party claimed that underinvestment in Uganda’s Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) programmes has weakened learning outcomes and contributed to declining competency levels among graduates.
It further criticised what it described as long-term neglect of public education infrastructure, teacher recruitment, and supervision systems, arguing that the effects are visible in the quality of public service delivery.
JEEMA also raised concern over recent public events involving newly sworn-in local government leaders, alleging that some officials struggled with English language expression during the oath-taking process.
The party questioned the legal and procedural integrity of the oath-taking process, calling on the Attorney General to clarify whether the oaths taken were valid under Ugandan law.
However, JEEMA clarified that it does not hold the individual leaders personally responsible, instead attributing the situation to systemic weaknesses in the country’s education system.
“This is not the personal failure of those leaders; it is the failure of an education system that has been deliberately starved of funds, teachers, and supervision,” the statement said.
The party argued that without sustained investment in education, Uganda cannot build a competent workforce or an effective leadership class.
JEEMA outlined three key demands to government, including increased funding for capitation grants, improved teacher recruitment and remuneration, and better resourcing of schools to support effective implementation of the competence-based curriculum.
It also called for the integration of values education into the national curriculum, saying moral instruction should be treated as a core component of learning rather than an optional subject.
Additionally, the party criticised what it termed “tokenism” in education interventions, saying selective support to a few model schools does not address systemic challenges affecting the majority of learners in rural and under-resourced areas.
JEEMA urged government to treat education as a matter of national priority and constitutional right, warning that the country’s future competitiveness depends on the quality of today’s learners.
“The future of our nation is being written in our classrooms today. Let us get it right,” the statement concluded.
The announcement comes at a time when Uganda is implementing reforms under the Competence-Based Curriculum, aimed at shifting learning from rote memorisation to practical skills and application-based education.
Education authorities have in recent years maintained that the reforms are intended to improve learner outcomes and align the education system with labour market demands and national development goals.