NATIONAL
KAMPALA, UGANDA |Government has introduced sweeping reforms in the early childhood education sector, formally prohibiting nursery schools and kindergartens from running daycare services under the newly rolled out Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policy framework.
The directive marks a significant shift in how early childhood services are structured, as authorities move to clearly distinguish between formal pre-primary education and childcare provision. Officials say the decision is intended to streamline regulation, enhance learning outcomes, and ensure that children receive age-appropriate developmental support in properly designated environments.
Under the new policy guidelines, nursery schools will now be strictly limited to delivering structured early learning programs tailored to children within the recommended pre-primary school age bracket. Daycare services-traditionally offered by many nursery-institutions to cater for working parents-will instead be required to operate as independent entities, subject to separate licensing, standards, and supervision mechanisms.
Education policymakers argue that the previous overlap between daycare and nursery education compromised quality, with many institutions prioritizing custodial care over structured learning. By separating the two, the Government aims to enforce clearer operational standards, improve teacher qualifications, and strengthen inspection systems across the sector.
“This reform is about safeguarding the developmental needs of children,” a senior education official noted. “Early learning requires trained educators, proper curricula, and regulated environments, which are different from the requirements of daycare services.”
The policy also introduces stricter compliance requirements for operators, including infrastructure standards, child-to-caregiver ratios, and safety protocols. Institutions currently offering both services have been given a transition period to either drop daycare operations or re-register under the appropriate category.
However, the move has sparked mixed reactions among parents and school proprietors. While education experts have largely welcomed the reform as a step toward improving quality, some parents have expressed concern about accessibility and affordability, particularly for working families who rely on integrated childcare and schooling services.
School owners, on the other hand, warn that the transition may disrupt operations and increase costs, especially for smaller private institutions that depend on daycare services as a key revenue stream.
Despite the concerns, the Government maintains that the long-term benefits outweigh the short-term challenges, emphasizing that the reform is part of a broader national strategy to strengthen foundational education and child development outcomes.
Implementation of the new ECCE policy is expected to be closely monitored, with authorities pledging continuous engagement with stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition and compliance across the country.