Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports has launched a new Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policy requiring all pre-primary teachers to be trained, certified, registered, and licensed through the National Teachers Council (NTC). The policy, effective from the third term of the 2026 academic year, mandates that applicants hold a degree in pre-primary education or an approved higher education qualification.
The policy applies to care and education for children from birth to six years and aims to raise standards for teaching and learning in early childhood. According to the ECCE policy document released in April 2026, “All pre-primary teachers in Uganda must be registered with the National Teachers Council in line with provisions of the National Teachers Policy and resultant law.” This registration includes securing a practising licence, which requires continuous professional development to maintain.
Prospective teachers must complete a degree-awarding course in pre-primary education or any other higher education programme sanctioned collaboratively by the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and the NTC. This formal qualification requirement is a significant step towards the professionalisation of early childhood education personnel, as foreseen in earlier government ECCE drafts dating back to 2018.
Dr Safina Mutumba, speaking to Daily Monitor on 9 September 2026, confirmed that implementation would begin immediately with the third term of the 2026 academic year. She added, “We have moved very fast with Kampala Capital City Authority so that we begin observing implementation of the policy right from the beginning of Third Term of 2026 academic year.” Official data cited in the report indicated that only 5% of current pre-primary caregivers hold degrees, with around 75% possessing certificates and the remainder holding diplomas.
This policy aligns with prior World Bank assessments highlighting that many Ugandan preschool teachers had tertiary education with specialised certification but noted an accreditation gap for many training institutions. The new ECCE framework introduces stricter accreditation and qualification standards to address these challenges.
While the policy sets clear qualification and licensing standards, it remains unconfirmed if transitional arrangements for current certificate and diploma holders allow them to upgrade without immediate job losses. Also, details on the availability of sufficient training capacity and funding for upskilling teachers are pending. Claims that all non-degree-holding nursery teachers will instantly lose their positions nationwide or that enforcement is complete across districts are yet to be independently verified.
The ECCE policy represents an important milestone for Uganda’s early childhood education system, aiming to professionalise teaching and improve learning outcomes in formative years. CapeFlats.co.za will continue monitoring the implementation progress and any government updates on teacher support and sector capacity.