The demand for and use of data for evidence-based policy and decision making has extended
beyond the confines of administrative boundaries to cover household activities and behavior.
Monitoring changes at household level through household surveys has, therefore, become more
important now than ever before. The Uganda Bureau of Statistics (UBOS) has been carrying out
Integrated Household Surveys (IHS) popularly known as Uganda National Household Surveys
(UNHS). In a bid to track the key outcome indicators on an annual basis; UBOS undertook the
Uganda National Panel Survey (UNPS) whose purpose was to fill the existing data gaps by
providing annual data to monitor the PEAP and its successor the National Development Plan
(NDP).
The data will be the main source of statistical information for monitoring changes and transitions
in poverty dynamics, trends and related welfare indicators. The 2009/10 UNPS was undertaken
from September 2009 to August 2010. Using the 2005/06 UNHS as its baseline, 3200 out of the
7400 households were scientifically selected and followed for re-interview. The survey was
comprehensive and had five modules, namely; Socio-economic, Agriculture, Woman,
Community and Price modules.
Over the two survey periods, three percent of persons who shifted from the urban to rural areas
over the two survey period were mainly those in the Northern region who were resettling from
the IDP camps. Divorce rates for those who were married in 2005/06 were highest in the
Central region (7%) by the time of the survey in 2009/10. Nine percent of the households that
comprised of one person in 2005/06 had grown to more than five members in 2009/10.
Twenty six percent of respondents aged 12 years and above, who were illiterate in 2005/06
were literate at the time of the 2009/10 UNPS. Males were more likely to have become literate
(38%) as compared to females (19%). The cost of schooling being too expensive was the main
reason given for leaving school. Fifteen percent of children who were in boarding schools in
2005/06 were now attending day schools. Thirty six percent of children who were attending
private schools in 2005/06 were now attending those managed by government while 20 percent
of children in government managed schools in 2005/06 had joined privately managed schools in
2009/10.
The working population increased by 10 percent over the two survey periods. On the other
hand, the not economically active population decreased by 22 percent while the Employment to
Population Ratio (EPR) increased from 73 percent to 80 percent over two the survey periods. Of
the persons who were not economically active in 2005/06, 42 percent maintained the same
activity status in 2009/10; two percent became unemployed, 51 percent went in self employment
while six percent went in paid employment. More than three quarters of the working age
population did not change their activity status; 15 percent of the not economically active became
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employed, while eight percent of the employed dropped out of the work force (NEA). Three
quarters (75%) of those who joined the workforce were agricultural and fisheries workers. Of all
the persons who were economically active during both surveys, 85 percent remained in the
agriculture sector while 11 percent shifted to services. About 53 percent of the persons who
were in the lowest wage quintile during the 2005/06 survey remained in the same quintile while
22 percent moved to the second lowest.
Malaria/fever (47%) remained the most prevalent illness reported by respondents over the two
periods. Slightly over half of the household members that suffered from malaria (51%) and 25
percent that suffered from respiratory infections in 2005/06 indicated the same in 2009/10
respectively. The majority of persons that did not consult for treatment indicated that the facility
being costly (42%) followed by the illness being mild (24%) as the major reasons.
Between the two survey periods, there were real improvements in the welfare of the population.
Specifically, about 19 percent of those who were poor in 2005/06 became non-poor in 2009/10
and about 50 percent of those who were non-poor became poor. The agricultural sector is home
to most of the poor and the movement in and out of poverty is highly volatile.
Sixty three percent of households in the urban setting who reported that each member in the
household did not have a pair of shoes in 2005/06 indicated possession in 2009/10; for the rural
areas it was only 28 percent. Sixty seven and 78 percent of households in urban and rural
respectively that were taking one meal a day in 2005/06 were consuming more than one meal in
2009/10. Overall 41percent of the households in Uganda reported that they had been faced with
a situation were they did not have enough food to feed in the last 12 months preceding the
survey.
Thirty three percent of all households that were living in ‘other’ types of dwellings in 2005/06
moved to independent houses, flats and apartments in 2009/10. One in four households that
lived in dwelling units with rudimentary roofs in 2005/06 had transited to dwelling units with
improved roofs in 2009/10. Four in ten households in Uganda (44%) that were getting their
drinking water from unimproved sources in 2005/06 moved to improved water sources in
2009/10. Thirty three percent of households that were using unimproved toilet facilities in
2005/06 moved to using improved toilet facilities in 2009/10.
The 2009/10 survey results show that the Northern region registered the highest proportion of
households engaged in agriculture (27%) compared to other regions. Overall, 4 percent of the
households that engaged in agricultural activities in 2005/06 no longer did so in 2009/10. The
average household size of Agricultural households increased from 5 persons in 2005/06 to 6
persons in 2009/10. Overall, the median land holding between the two periods increased by 0.6
hectares. Sixty two percent of households that formerly had only one parcel for agriculture still
had one in 2009/10. Only three percent of households in Uganda were engaged in fishing
activities and 48 percent of households revealed that they fished in Lakes/natural ponds while
21 percent did so in swampy areas overall. The proportion of households that revealed
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receiving advice in or for agricultural activities in 2009/10 had increased to 24 percent compared
to only six percent in 2005/06
Overall, pupils in 26 and 36 percent of government and other schools do not have any access to
text books in the classroom. In terms of learner attendance, the majority lower primary pupils i.e.
45 and 48 percent of government and other schools did not attend class on the day of interview
respectively. Overall; teacher absenteeism was higher in government schools (20%) compared
to only nine percent in other schools. irrespective of the type of ownership, majority of teachers
(over 20%) were on the school premises but not in class at the time of the interview.
Forty eight and 46 percent of government health providers in Health centers II and III were
absent at the time of interview respectively. The major reason for absenteeism in HC II was that
the health worker was off-duty/night duty (37%) while 13 percent were absent without reason.
The major reasons for absenteeism among health workers in HC III were that the health worker
was off-duty/night duty (35%) followed by absent for no reason (13%) and annual/maternity
leave (10%)
Overall, knowledge of contraception is almost universal in Uganda with 99 percent of currently
married women having heard of at least one method of contraception. The pill, injectables, and
condom are the most widely known modern methods among women. Seven in every ten
currently married women have used a family planning method at least once in their lifetime.
Thirty eight percent of currently married women are using a method of contraception. Modern
methods are more widely used than traditional methods, with 26 percent of currently married
women using a modern method and 13 percent using a traditional method. The most popular
modern method is the injectable used by twenty four percent of the currently married women.