Pepper Intelligence Unit November 14, 2026
KAMPALA — A massive education funding scandal is threatening to explode in Namutumba District after shocking allegations emerged that 14 government-aided primary schools could have been declaring more than 23,000 pupils above the numbers reportedly established during physical headcounts, RedPepper has learnt.
The explosive claims have put district education officials and headteachers under the spotlight, with questions mounting over how schools allegedly recorded thousands of additional learners in the Education Management Information System (EMIS), the government database used to manage education information.
A whistleblower has now sounded the alarm, putting Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara on notice and demanding urgent investigations into the alleged inflation of enrolment figures and possible abuse of Universal Primary Education (UPE) capitation grants.
Information submitted to RedPepper indicates that the 14 schools collectively have 31,287 learners recorded on EMIS, against only 8,250 pupils reportedly established during inspectors’ headcounts.
That leaves a staggering discrepancy of 23,037 learners.
If independently confirmed, the figures could expose serious weaknesses in the management of UPE funds, with taxpayers potentially paying for learners whose existence or eligibility has not been established.
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