Assignment Report: Girls’ Education in Uganda: potential options for support by DFID Uganda

Under-funding, rapid expansion and inadequate management have led to low and declining education outcomes for girls and boys

Abstract

The purpose of this report is to enable DFID-Uganda to better understand the context for supporting girls’ education in Uganda, and identify potential options for support that could form the basis for a business case. The report describes the Ugandan context and the educational context within. Under-funding, rapid expansion and inadequate management have led to low and declining education outcomes for girls and boys.

DFID’s aim is to improve education for all children withinDFID-supported schools, and reduce gender barriers to girls’ participation and achievement. Support from DFID can help:

  • Improve the quality of education using the World Bank ‘School Effectiveness Model’
  • Reduce barriers to girls’ education, building on DFID’s existing experience through UNICEF, by: securing a girl friendly environment; using community participation activities; reducing cost barriers to secondary education; enhancing teacher training; and strengthening national policy.

Options for DFID to support these areas include:

  1. school, district and central level support to improve the effectiveness of sample of disadvantaged, government-aided primary schools

  2. extending the school development process backed by performance-related grants to government-aided secondary schools

  3. strengthening governance in government-aided secondary schools

  4. providing merit-based girls’ scholarships to private schools, possibly linked to a PPP for school construction and development.

Citation

Swift, D.; Gena, G. Assignment Report: Girls Education in Uganda: potential options for support by DFID Uganda. HEART (Health and Education Advice and Resource Team), UK (2013) 46 pp.

Girls’ Education in Uganda: potential options for support by DFID Uganda

Published 1 January 2013