country profile

Uganda

Sub-Saharan AfricaLow income51.38M population

Last updated July 15, 2026

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Critically unprepared

Composite GEFRI Score

Systemwide critical constraints

Uganda shows critically low readiness to meet the challenges and opportunities of education in a rapidly changing world (12th percentile worldwide). Core capabilities are weak across most dimensions, and essential systems face significant constraints.

24.77Composite score
Global percentile
12th
Global rank
#156
Regional rank
#27
Viewing data for
Critically unprepared
Infrastructure
25.06
8th percentileGlobal avg. 55.13
Critically unprepared
Human Capital
29.69
16th percentileGlobal avg. 47.36
Severely underprepared
Innovation
35.73
26th percentileGlobal avg. 46.19
Severely underprepared
Governance
33.37
31st percentileGlobal avg. 47.46
Critically unprepared
Access & Parity
0.00
10th percentileGlobal avg. 48.49

Country profile

Uganda faces substantial readiness constraints across core dimensions. Its weakest results are in Innovation (36, 26th percentile), Human Capital (30, 16th percentile), Infrastructure (25, 8th percentile), GEFRI Composite (25, 12th percentile) and School Access and Gender Parity (0, 10th percentile). These gaps continue to weigh on overall readiness.

Uneven scores across dimensions show where readiness conditions are less aligned. Limited electricity or internet coverage still constrains classrooms, preventing large-scale digital instruction. Literacy or tertiary enrollment gaps thin the talent pipeline and limit the country’s capacity to develop future-ready skills.

Sparse R&D investment and a small research workforce slow experimentation and delay new ideas from reaching learners. Policy execution and regulatory capacity remain weak, leaving reforms fragmented and hard to sustain. Gender parity leans toward boys in secondary pathways, signalling persistent barriers for girls.

Some indicators are imputed, so the profile should be read with moderate caution.

Key insights

Falls below many peers at the 12th percentile.

Places 156th worldwide.

Holds a regional position of 27th within Sub-Saharan Africa.

Scores range from Innovation (35.7) to Access & Parity (0.0), reflecting variation across dimensions.

Trails regional peers most clearly in Access & Parity.

Regional peers: Sub-Saharan Africa

Composite GEFRI Score

Global rankRegional rankCountryScore
651South Africa57.44
742Mauritius55.85
SeychellesMicrostate55.06
803Botswana53.75
994Ghana48.08
1085Namibia44.23
1146Cabo Verde39.44
1207Eswatini36.39
1258Equatorial Guinea35.21
1269Senegal34.71
12710Gabon34.67
12811Rwanda34.54
13312Kenya32.83
13513Gambia, The32.46
13614Cote d'Ivoire32.04
13715Lesotho31.46
14016Tanzania29.45
14217Benin29.31
Sao Tome and PrincipeFCSMicrostate29.18
14318Togo28.93
14419Zimbabwe28.61
14520CameroonFCS28.42
14621Mauritania27.91
14822Zambia27.69
15023Angola27.20
15324Guinea25.53
15425MozambiqueFCS25.03
15526Madagascar24.90
15627Uganda24.77
15728Congo, Rep.FCS24.76
15829NigeriaFCS24.43
16030EthiopiaFCS24.27
16131Burkina FasoFCS24.20
16232ComorosFCS24.06
16333Sierra Leone23.91
16434MalawiFCS23.31
16535Liberia22.51
16636Guinea-BissauFCS22.30
16737MaliFCS21.77
16838Burundi20.39
16939SudanFCS19.96
17040NigerFCS19.49
17141EritreaFCS19.24
17242Congo, Dem. Rep.FCS19.13
17343ChadFCS17.06
17544SomaliaFCS16.33
17645South SudanFCS16.19
17746Central African RepublicFCS16.10