IMPACT OF EDUCATION COMMISSIONS AND COMMITTEES ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE UGANDAN EDUCATION SYSTEM IN 1925–2012

This paper examines education commissions and committees established between 1925 and 2012 in order to demonstrate their impact on the development of the Uganda education system. Between 1925 and 1987, seven education commissions and two education committees were formed. The impact of each education commission and committee has been critically examined with mixed results. However, their impact as a whole has significantly influenced the development of the Ugandan education system between 1925 and 2012. This paper investigates several influential education commissions and committees including the 1925 Phelps Stokes Commission (which influenced the British colonial administration to oversee educational developments in Uganda instead of leaving the responsibility up to the various missionary societies), the 1940 Thomas Education Committee (which helped establish the Board of Governors for post-primary educational institutions), the 1952 de Bunsen Education Committee (which helped establish boarding schools in Buganda and reduce the denominational aspect of education), the 1963 Castle Education Commission (which helped to create the 1963/64 Education Act, which removed religious bodies from administering education in Uganda) and the 1987 Senteza Kajubi Education Commission (which introduced Universal Primary Education (UPE)). In contrast, this paper also elucidates several negative impacts on the development of education in Uganda. This includes the 1940 Thomas Education Committee and the 1952 de Bunsen Education Committee; both committees recommended administering education along religious lines, resulting in disunity in the Ugandan society.