The sectors of health, education and water have suffered a reduction in their budgets for 2021/2022 financial year when compared to the last year.
In the current 2020/2021 financial year, Education got Shs3.5 trillion, Health got Shs2.8 trillion and Water and Environment Shs1.6 trillion, a total of Shs7.9 trillion.
But in the upcoming financial year, the sectors of health, education and water, grouped as human capital development, have all been allocated Shs7.7 trillion.
For the health sector, Shs. 560 billion has been provided for the procurement of vaccines. The funds will also be used for upgrading forty-three (43) health facilities and constructing new Health Centre IIIs in sixty (60) sub-counties.
“To ensure functionality, the recruitment of additional staff for each of the upgraded health facility has been arranged,” Amos Lugoloobi, the newly appointed State minister for finance in charge of Planning, who presented the budget on Thursday, 10 June 2021 said.
The funds will also be used for construction and equipping of the Uganda Heart Institute at Mulago and the Regional Oncology and Diagnostic Centre in Gulu by the Uganda Cancer Institute.
The money will also be used to ensure adequate supply and delivery of essential medicines and health supplies. The National Medical Stores budget has been increased from Shs 420.3 billion this fiscal year to Shs.600.3 billion next financial year.
For education, the money will be used for adopting e-learning methods in the face of the disrupted education system over Covid-19.
“We shall also build on the gains of the universalisation of education and skilling programmes by upgrading more of the country’s education training facilities into effective institutions of learning and skills development,” the minister said
He also said in the next financial year, priority will be placed on improving staffing and teacher quality at all levels; enhancing inspection and supervision of schools, rehabilitate primary and traditional secondary schools and complete construction of selected vocational institutions.
“To this end, 4,200 primary school teachers will be recruited to raise the national staffing level to 70%. In addition, 1,055 secondary teachers will be recruited in local governments with staffing level below 50% of the establishment. To improve supervision, 440 inspectors will be recruited across all local governments. To address leaner, teacher and school management absenteeism, the Integrated Inspection System (electronic inspection) will be rolled out throughout the country. The rehabilitation of 74 primary and 13 traditional secondary schools, for example Nabisunsa Girls school, will also be undertaken. Construction of 36 partially completed schools, for example Morungatunyi secondary school, will be completed,” Mr Lugoloobi said.
For water and sanitation, the minister said the target is to increase the coverage of safe water supply in rural areas to 81% and to 100% in urban areas by 2025.
“At a minimum we will ensure that every village in underserved districts has at least one safe water source, as well as promote improved sanitation. To this end, Shs.124.9billion has been provided for rural water, and Shs.523.4billion for urban water,” he said.
Construction of 7 skills development institutions like the Arua School of Nursing will also be completed.