The Ministry of Education and Sports has issued a harsh warning to boarding schools operating without official authorization, stating they face severe disciplinary action. This directive comes as the government aggressively moves to clamp down on substandard facilities, reinforce learner safety, and streamline accommodation protocols across the country.
While addressing Parliament on Thursday, October 29, 2026, the Minister of State for Education (Sports), Hon. Peter Ogwang, made it clear that unauthorized boarding operations will no longer be tolerated.
“A boarding section must be properly authorized, adequately resourced, regularly inspected, and run in the best interests of learners,” Minister Ogwang declared. He emphasized that schools will be forced to rectify any identified structural or operational gaps, adding that appropriate legal and administrative action will be taken against facilities that expose learners to unacceptable risks.
To legally operate a boarding section, school administrators must strictly enforce:Continuous, alert oversight of all accommodated learners,clear, accessible, and functional procedures for reporting any form of abuse, uncompromising standards regarding food quality, student nutrition, and general hygiene and verifiable financial arrangements dedicated specifically to maintaining safe and suitable student accommodation.
The Ministry explicitly warned administrators of Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools. Minister Ogwang reiterated that boarding in these institutions is strictly voluntary and meant exclusively to help disadvantaged children access education headteachers are strictly forbidden from diverting public UPE/USE funds to finance unauthorized boarding facilities and boarding fees must never be used as a tool to block poor children from accessing free basic education. The Ministry will periodically review these schools to assess whether their boarding sections are genuinely necessary.
Members of Parliament broadly supported the government’s directive but demanded strict implementation and realistic adjustments:
Hon. Gilbert Olanya (Kilak South) strongly backed the guidelines, warning that leaving boarding regulations unchecked is a recipe for national disaster. He urged that fire prevention infrastructure must be non-negotiable.
Hon. Beatrice Wembabazi (Hoima District) pressed the Ministry to move past theoretical guidelines and deploy inspectors for aggressive, regular on-site school supervision.
Hon. Laura Kanushu (PWD Representative) reminded the Ministry that making facilities accessible to children with disabilities is a legal requirement. She demanded that all authorized boarding facilities include basic infrastructure like ramps and accessible toilets.
Hon. George Musisi (Kira Municipality, NUP) advised against a rigid “one-size-fits-all” policy. He urged the Ministry to formulate standards that realistically factor in geographical disparities and the unique challenges faced by schools in hard-to-reach rural areas.
This sweeping policy shift sets up a high-stakes standoff between education authorities and rogue school administrators, highlighting the government’s resolve to prioritize student lives over unregulated commercial accommodation.
