Uganda tightens school licensing as parents pay for the international label

Parents in Uganda can pay high fees for an “international” education only to find their children receiving something much closer to the national programme. That is the concern driving tougher oversight of international schools, according to The Independent Uganda (direct), citing education standards chief Frances Atima. The Ministry of Education and Sports intends to make schools clarify what they offer—and hold the registrations and licences required for it.

The move does not amount to a blanket ban on teaching two curricula. Instead, Atima said schools combining foreign and Ugandan programmes must satisfy the requirements for each independently, with separate registration and licensing arrangements. An institution cannot operate as an international school while teaching the national curriculum under the same registration. For schools selling families a choice of pathways, the challenge is to demonstrate that both are properly authorised.

“If you want to do a dual curriculum, you must meet two standards.” — Frances Atima

Putting the international label to the test

The push follows the introduction in May 2026 of the Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards for International Schools, known as BRMS-IS. Atima said the sector previously lacked specific standards, leaving inspectors struggling to distinguish genuine international schools from local institutions using the label. Some, she said, have advertised themselves as international schools while operating from residential houses. Others charge substantial fees for programmes that are essentially similar to Uganda’s national curriculum.

The ministry is preparing a nationwide validation exercise before the end of the year to establish how many international schools operate, including those missing from official records. Inspectors have been told to document every international school they encounter. Checks are expected to cover registration, licences, curricula, international accreditation—recognition by an international body—staffing and facilities. Schools without the necessary licences, or those falling short of the standards, face regulatory action that can include closure.

The standards cover foundation through secondary education, including both day and boarding schools. Institutions must register with the Uganda Registration Services Bureau and obtain an education ministry licence. They also need qualified leadership, functioning governing or management bodies and parent-teacher associations. Required teacher-to-learner ratios are 1:15 in early years, 1:25 in primary and 1:30 in secondary. Schools are expected to obtain an examination centre number within three years or document progress towards one.

Curriculum approval and the fee question

Foreign programmes must be approved by the National Curriculum Development Centre and accredited by a recognised international body. They must suit pupils’ ages and different learning needs while remaining relevant to Uganda’s cultural, social and language context. The rules also apply to schools serving refugee and migrant communities with curricula from their countries of origin. Foreign pathways already offered in Uganda include Cambridge, International Baccalaureate, American and French Baccalaureate programmes.

Education consultant Gonzaga Kaswarra welcomed the standards and the planned validation, but said gaps remain in curriculum regulation, teacher recruitment and fees. He called for alignment with international law on curriculum oversight and raised concerns about racial segregation in teacher recruitment. On costs, he said the policy did not adequately address rising fees and that a requirement for schools to publish fees on their websites had yet to be visibly enforced.

The next test is the nationwide inspection exercise: whether it identifies schools outside official records and establishes which institutions meet the requirements. For parents, another issue to watch is whether the website fee-disclosure rule is enforced alongside the licensing and curriculum checks.