Uganda’s education sector is facing a major staffing dilemma after thousands of qualified teachers were left without government jobs despite passing recruitment interviews and being declared fit to serve in public schools.
Data from the Education Service Commission (ESC) shows that more than 5,300 teachers qualified for government employment after completing the recruitment process for new secondary schools. However, the government only had funds to recruit 1,333 teachers, leaving nearly 4,000 successful candidates without appointments.
The recruitment exercise attracted thousands of applicants seeking positions in 43 newly established government secondary schools across the country. Out of 6,665 teachers who appeared for oral interviews, 5,332 were found competent enough to join government service.
Despite their qualifications, the majority will have to wait for future recruitment opportunities because the available positions were limited by the government wage budget.
ESC Secretary Dr Asuman Lukwago explained that the decision was not based on the teachers’ performance but on the number of positions the government could afford to fund.
He said many more candidates would have been recruited if additional vacancies had been created, noting that this year’s applicants demonstrated improved skills and stronger understanding of teaching methods compared to previous recruitment exercises.
Dr Lukwago encouraged unsuccessful candidates not to lose hope but to apply again whenever new teaching opportunities are advertised by the commission.
The situation has highlighted the growing gap between Uganda’s shortage of teachers and the financial resources available to employ them.
According to government reports, the country currently has tens of thousands of vacant teaching positions in both primary and secondary schools, creating pressure on existing teachers who are already handling large numbers of learners.
The 2025 State of Human Resource in Public Service report indicated that more than 87,000 teaching positions remain vacant, while other estimates suggest that the actual shortage could be much higher.
The challenge is expected to increase in coming years due to Uganda’s rapidly growing population and increasing demand for education services.
A joint government and World Bank review warned that Uganda will require hundreds of thousands of additional teachers by 2040 if it is to provide quality education for all learners.
The report noted that the country would need major increases in education funding, more classrooms and additional learning materials to match the growing number of students.
Teachers’ organisations have argued that the latest recruitment exercise proves Uganda has enough qualified professionals but lacks adequate funding to absorb them into the public service.
Aaron Mugaiga, Secretary General of the Uganda Professional Science Teachers’ Union (UPSTU), said the government should consider expanding recruitment because many trained teachers remain unemployed despite the shortage of educators in schools.
He also called for special attention to science teachers, saying demand for science subjects has increased following changes introduced under the new lower secondary curriculum.
Meanwhile, the Education Service Commission has warned successful candidates against paying money to anyone claiming they can help them secure appointment letters.
ESC Chairperson Prof Samuel Luboga said the recruitment process is free and asked candidates to report individuals demanding payments.
The first group of 377 teachers has already been selected and will be deployed to 13 government secondary schools in Buganda and Busoga regions.
The new teachers will undergo a probation period before being confirmed as permanent government employees, depending on their performance and evaluation.
The recruitment comes as government continues expanding access to secondary education through the construction of seed schools across the country.
Under the Uganda Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers Programme (UGIFT), government has been establishing secondary schools in areas that previously lacked access to such institutions.
Although hundreds of new schools have been built, the shortage of teachers remains a major challenge, raising questions about whether infrastructure expansion is moving faster than staffing capacity.
Education experts warn that building schools without enough teachers could affect the quality of learning and increase pressure on the available workforce.
The government now faces the difficult task of balancing wage limitations with the urgent need to provide enough teachers for Uganda’s growing student population.
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