Kampala, Uganda — The Government has moved to ban nursery schools and kindergartens from operating daycare centres under the newly introduced Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) Policy, in a sweeping reform aimed at improving standards and regulation in early learning.
The policy, set to be officially launched this week by the Ministry of Education and Sports, seeks to streamline Uganda’s fragmented pre-primary sector by clearly separating childcare services from formal early education.
Education officials say the move is designed to enhance quality, safety, and accountability in early childhood learning environments, which have long operated with uneven standards across the country.
According to the ministry, the ECCE framework will “provide a stronger basis for coordinated action” and ensure services are delivered in a “coherent, equitable, and quality-assured manner.”
The ban on daycare operations within nursery schools is part of broader reforms intended to professionalise early learning, while allowing childcare services to be regulated separately under appropriate frameworks.
Experts say the change reflects growing concern over the mixing of education and caregiving roles, which has often led to overstretched facilities and inconsistent supervision standards.
Uganda’s early childhood sector has faced increasing scrutiny in recent months, particularly following safety concerns in daycare centres and calls for tighter regulation.
The ECCE policy is also expected to introduce minimum standards, strengthen monitoring systems, and improve coordination between government agencies, local authorities, and private providers.
Officials argue that focusing nursery schools strictly on structured learning will help children develop better foundational skills during the critical early years, which are widely recognised as key to long-term educational outcomes.
Early childhood development advocates have welcomed the reforms but stress the need for clear implementation guidelines and investment in alternative childcare options, especially for working parents.
Data from development partners shows that access to quality pre-primary education in Uganda remains limited, with many centres privately run and varying widely in quality.
The government says the new policy is part of a broader effort to strengthen human capital development by ensuring children receive proper care, protection, and early learning support.
The national rollout of the ECCE policy is expected to mark a significant shift in how Uganda structures early childhood education, with authorities positioning it as a long-term investment in the country’s future workforce.
