Uganda introduced the policy of Universal Primary Education in 1997; where
all children of school going age have access to basic education free of charge.
A key policy objective was to increase enrolment and reduce inequalities
in education based on socio-economic status. While it is true that gross
enrolment in primary school has tremendously increased over time, severe
disparities in access, retention and educational outcomes persist. This paper
critically examines the impact of universal primary education on equality in
access to education. The ethic of universal (free) social service provisioning
in a resource-constrained environment is interrogated. Prospects for
strengthening the social work roles in education in Uganda are highlighted.