The Ministry of Education and Sports has vowed to take action against schools operating boarding sections without authorisation, as part of efforts to safeguard learners and improve standards in boarding facilities across the country.
The Minister of State for Education (Sports), Peter Ogwang, said the ministry had established guidelines governing the establishment and operation of boarding sections to address concerns over the safety, welfare and quality of facilities provided to learners.
“A boarding section must be properly authorised, adequately resourced, regularly inspected and run in the best interests of learners,” Ogwang said.
He made the remarks while presenting a statement on the requirements for operating boarding sections during a plenary sitting of Parliament on Thursday, October 29, 2026.
Minister Ogwang said schools must ensure learners are adequately supervised, with clear procedures for reporting abuse, while food, nutrition and hygiene arrangements must meet the required standards. He added that schools must also establish clear responsibilities for financing and maintaining boarding facilities.
“Schools will be required to address any gaps identified, and appropriate action will be taken against facilities that operate unlawfully or expose learners to unacceptable risk,” he said.
The minister explained that although boarding in Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools is voluntary, it should support the government’s objective of expanding access to free education, particularly for disadvantaged children.
“The position of the ministry on boarding in these schools follows from that purpose: boarding must serve the interests of learners and must not stand in the way of free basic education,” he said.
He cautioned administrators of UPE and USE schools against diverting funds to unauthorised boarding operations, adding that the ministry would conduct periodic reviews to establish the necessity of boarding facilities in the schools.
The guidelines were welcomed by several Members of Parliament, who called for stricter enforcement, improved infrastructure and regular inspections to protect learners.
Kilak South County MP Gilbert Olanya said the guidelines would provide an important control mechanism for boarding schools, particularly in preventing disasters such as fire outbreaks.
“The moment you leave the door open, as a country, we shall regret. The statement of the minister is okay. Let the schools know they must have something to control fire outbreaks,” he said.
Hoima District Woman MP Beatrice Wembabazi urged the ministry to strengthen supervision of schools to ensure that learners’ safety is not compromised.
“I want to request the Ministry of Education to take care and do regular supervision so that we can guarantee the safety of our learners,” she said.
Meanwhile, MP representing Persons with Disabilities Laura Kanushu called on the ministry to ensure that boarding schools provide accessible infrastructure for learners with disabilities.
She said facilities such as ramps and accessible toilets should be incorporated into school infrastructure to enable children with disabilities to access education without barriers.
“Basic things like a ramp should be included. It is a legal requirement for any public building. Lack of an accessible toilet can be a hindrance to children with disabilities,” Kanushu said.
However, Kira Municipality MP George Musisi (NUP) called for flexibility in implementing the guidelines, arguing that schools in hard-to-reach areas face unique geographical and operational challenges.
He urged the ministry to develop additional minimum standards that take into account the different circumstances under which schools operate.
“What we need is not only one document. The minister needs to present other minimum standards, taking into consideration all other challenges in different areas,” he said.
