Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth has pledged to push for a review of the tax regime affecting private educational institutions, following concerns over multiple levies imposed by central and local governments.
Oboth made the commitment on Wednesday, November 4, 2026, during a meeting with a delegation from the National Private Educational Institutions Association–Uganda (NPEIA), led by Igara East Member of Parliament Michael Mawanda.
The delegation included the association’s executive members, among them National Chairperson Hasadu Kirabira.
Oboth said private schools provide an essential public service and should not be treated purely as commercial enterprises when determining their tax obligations.
“You are not asking for money but you are asking for a conducive taxation regime,” he said.
He added that although the institutions are privately owned, their contribution to education makes them important partners in national human resource development.
Oboth said the concerns raised by the proprietors would be considered in upcoming parliamentary and policy discussions, noting that they were seeking a predictable and supportive business environment rather than financial handouts.
He supported the association’s proposal for a streamlined tax system that eliminates overlapping levies imposed by local and central governments.
The Speaker directed NPEIA leaders to submit a detailed breakdown of the taxes and levies affecting private institutions to enable Parliament to examine the concerns through its relevant structures.
However, he maintained that regulatory oversight, including the requirement for five-year operating licences, remains necessary to safeguard education quality.
Oboth said the tax obligations imposed on private schools should nevertheless be fair and predictable.
He also recognised the role of private education providers in expanding access to learning and transforming lives despite the challenges they face.
“I don’t want to imagine Uganda without private schools in education service delivery,” he said.
Private schools seek tax and financing reforms
Presenting the association’s position, Kirabira outlined the contribution of private institutions to Uganda’s education system and employment sector.
According to figures presented by NPEIA, private providers operate all pre-primary schools and more than 35,000 institutions serving 2.16 million children.
The association also accounts for 73 per cent of primary schools, enrolling 3.96 million pupils, and 75 per cent of secondary schools, with more than 1.1 million students. The sector further includes 17 private universities.
Kirabira said the scale of private sector participation makes its financial sustainability a matter of public interest.
He identified uncoordinated taxes and levies imposed by central and local governments, limited access to affordable long-term financing through the Uganda Development Bank (UDB), and high taxes on computers, laboratory equipment and chemicals as some of the challenges affecting institutions.
He also cited shortages of qualified teachers, which he said had been worsened by challenges in implementing the 2019 teacher policy.
The association asked Parliament to support four broad areas of reform.
These include a harmonised Special Education Tax regime that recognises schools as social service providers, tax exemptions on educational inputs and relief for institutions with an operational surplus below Shs100 million.
NPEIA also proposed an affordable, ring-fenced credit facility through UDB to support school infrastructure, digital expansion and research.
Other proposals include reviving a national public-private partnership framework to strengthen education infrastructure and skills training, as well as establishing formal parliamentary dialogue on private education investment.
Speaker calls for collaboration on education data
Beyond taxation and financing, Oboth urged private school proprietors to work with government in improving national education indicators, particularly the gap between primary school enrolment and completion.
He observed that public school enrolment data could be affected by capitation grant dynamics, while private institutions maintain accurate enrolment records.
He called for greater cooperation between government and private education providers to strengthen education planning and improve the reliability of national statistics.
The engagement provides an opportunity for Parliament to examine the concerns raised by private education providers as part of wider discussions on the sector’s contribution to access, quality and national development.
