Uganda’s leading public university, Makerere, is pushing forward with plans to introduce bachelor’s degree programmes for primary school teachers, in line with sweeping education reforms set in motion by the Ugandan government in 2019.
The move is a direct response to Uganda’s National Teacher Policy, which requires all educators—from nursery through secondary levels—to possess a minimum of a bachelor’s degree. The policy marked a major shift in the country’s approach to teacher training, scrapping the long-standing system that allowed teachers to enter the profession with certificates or diplomas.
Dr. Mathias Mulumba Bwanika, Dean of the School of Education at Makerere University, said preparations for the new programme are nearing completion. “We’re in the final development stages of the primary education degree,” he said. “After internal review, we’ll submit it to the National Council for Higher Education for approval.”
In anticipation of the shift, Makerere’s senate has approved the creation of a dedicated Department of Primary Education to oversee the new programme. This follows the university’s launch of a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Development and Care in 2023, also developed in response to the national policy.
The Ugandan government introduced the National Teacher Policy with the aim of professionalizing the teaching workforce and improving educational standards across the country. Previously, most primary and nursery school teachers in Uganda entered the field with post-secondary certificates, often progressing to diplomas over time. But with the lower-level qualifications discontinued, universities have been left to fill the void for new entrants.
While institutions like Makerere have been quick to adapt, the rollout has faced delays due to pending legislation. The Teacher Bill—crafted to provide legal backing for the National Teacher Policy—remains stalled in Uganda’s Parliament. Though introduced for a second reading, debates over the structure and length of the proposed degree programmes have held up progress.
One of the bill’s more contentious provisions is the inclusion of a compulsory one-year internship for teacher graduates. The new model proposes a four-year academic programme followed by a 12-month placement in schools—significantly expanding the current 8–12 weeks of school practice. Uganda’s Ministry of Education supports this model, arguing it would offer practical preparation akin to medical internships.
Under the proposal, internship candidates would be selected through a competitive national process and deployed to schools by the ministry. However, a parliamentary committee report earlier this year recommended eliminating the internship clause, citing logistical and financial concerns. Despite Cabinet endorsement of the degree requirement itself, disagreement remains among Ugandan lawmakers over how to implement the reform in practice.
Meanwhile, the Uganda National Institute of Teacher Education (UNITE)—a newly established public university—has developed and received approval for its own degree programmes in primary education. The institute, created to drive teacher education under the new national framework, is currently preparing to admit its first students.
As Uganda reshapes its education system, Makerere University and institutions like UNITE are playing a central role in delivering the reforms needed to build a more qualified teaching workforce for the country’s future.