The state of girl child education in Uganda and the path forward

Abstract

Abstract This study discusses the barriers to education of girl children in Uganda between 2000 and 2024 with particular attention to gender inequality in the number of children enrolled, retained, and completed. Girls are particularly disadvantaged by the policies such as Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) due to such factors as early marriage, teen pregnancy, economic difficulties and violence based on gender. This study draws synthesis of the quantitative trends and qualitative findings of past studies on the same using secondary data provided by various organizations like the World Bank, UNESCO, and UNICEF. Secondary data indicates that the enrollment rates have been improved, but only 27% of girls undertake upper secondary education, and only 4% attend tertiary education. Such inequalities underline a necessity of specific interventions to eliminate the socio-cultural and economic determinants of reduced access to education among girls. This study provides the significance of meeting the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 5 (Gender Equality) through the fostering of gender-sensitive educational policies and programs. Strategies to overcome structural and cultural barriers include increased funding, vocational training, and community-based awareness. The study makes an impact on the global debate about gender equality in education with practical implications on policymakers and international agencies to enhance educational performance of girls in Uganda.