The Government of Uganda has introduced a major reform in the early childhood education sector, banning nursery schools and kindergartens from operating daycare centres under the new Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) policy.

For decades, many nursery schools across the country have been running dual systems that combine early learning with childcare services. These institutions often operated both nursery school wings and daycare sections within the same premises.

This arrangement had become common practice largely due to the absence of a clear regulatory framework governing early childhood education and childcare services.

However, the government has now deemed it necessary to separate the two functions in order to improve the quality, standards, and regulation of early childhood education in Uganda.

Under the revised ECCE policy, pre-schools, including nursery schools and kindergartens, are no longer permitted to run daycare centres. The reform clearly distinguishes between early learning services and childcare services, requiring each to operate independently.

According to the policy direction, the separation is intended to ensure that children in nursery schools receive focused educational support, while daycare centres adhere to standards specifically designed for childcare.

The move is expected to streamline oversight, enhance service delivery, and promote better developmental outcomes for young children across the country.

Education stakeholders are now expected to align their operations with the new guidelines, as the government strengthens efforts to regulate and improve the early childhood education sector.