Absenteeism of primary school children stands at 24 per cent- Uwezo report

Although nearly all of Uganda’s children are enrolled in school at some point, many of them are not observable in the classroom.

This was brought to light by the Uwezo Uganda Eighth Learning Assessment Report 2019 that was launched on Tuesday in Kampala.

The report provides findings from the Uwezo’s eighth household-based assessment of children’s learning in Uganda, which was conducted between October 2018 and March 2019.

According to the report, the national rate of the absenteeism of primary school children observed in 2018 stood at 24 per cent , compared to 34 per cent in 2014 [Uwezo 2015].

The report further revealed that the absenteeism was slightly higher in Primary one with 27.4 per cent and lover in Primary seven with 18.2 per cent, but otherwise consistent through the primary grades.

The rate was also consistent by gender [25 per cent for boys and 24 per cent for girls] and fairly consistent for all ages from six to 14.

On the other hand, the report disclosed that the learning outcomes in literacy and numeracy have remained low, with little , if any, signs of improvement with nearly all Primary three to Primary seven children who could read the story [at Primary level] showed evidence of comprehension but most have not reached that level until they are in Primary six.

Only 39 per cent have reached that level by the time they are in Primary five.

The report also stated that the percentage of Primary three to Primary seven children who could read and comprehend a basic story at Primary two level dropped from 39 per cent [2015] to 33 per cent [2018].

Uwezo[ Swahili word meaning capability] is the educational assessment section of Twaweza East Africa, a regional organization that works to support effective learning by children, the agency of citizens and more open and responsive government in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.