Ugandan students returned to their desks and classrooms today for the first time in nearly two years since the country was shut down in March 2020 as a response to the coronavirus pandemic. 

At 83 weeks, this is the longest nationwide school closure due to COVID-19 in the world.

Around 15 million pupils have not attended school since the measure was implemented, much to the dismay of children's rights groups.

The National Planning Authority (NPA) estimates that 30% of all students who were in school before the pandemic may never return.

A spike in teenage pregnancies and child marriage has been part of the reason for this, with UNICEF data reporting a 22.5% increase in pregnancies among girls aged 10 to 24-years-old.

Due to rising poverty and disruptions to education, an increased prevalence of child labour is another contributing factor for diminished returns to school. 

Education Minister John Muyingo said all students will automatically advance to the next school grade, “All schools have implemented guidelines and standard operating procedures to ensure the safe return of children to schools, and measures have been put in place to ensure those who don’t comply do so.”

Muyingo also warned private schools against charging fees above pre-pandemic rates, threatening these institutions with sanctions if they do so.

With such a long hold in the education sector, many teachers have pivoted to new industries to provide for their families with many learning institutions being converted into hotels and restaurants.