Predicament of the Centralist Approach to Universal Primary Education Accountability and Service Delivery in Uganda
Keywords:
Public services; effective service delivery; UPE; accountability; citizens.Abstract
This study examined service delivery under Uganda’s Universal Primary Education (UPE) program after nearly three decades of implementation, using a descriptive research design. Purposive and random sampling techniques were used to select 125 participants from a population of 300. Data was collected through in-depth interviews, focus group discussions (FGDs) and secondary sources and analyzed thematically. The study argues that government efforts have largely emphasized access, inclusiveness, and funding, with comparatively limited attention to accountability. This imbalance is attributed to a centralized approach to accountability characterized by underlying structural weaknesses. Consequently, increased budgetary expenditure on UPE has not translated into commensurate improvements in educational outcomes. The study recommends policy reforms to institutionalize community-based oversight and strengthen existing accountability mechanisms. Such reforms are expected to address existing accountability gaps, enhance financial discipline and improve service delivery in UPE.
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