DIRECTORATE OF EDUCATION STANDARDS (DES)

1.0 Background

 The Directorate of Education Standards (DES) is one of the four Directorates in the Ministry of Education and Sports
(MoES) responsible for setting and monitoring quantitative and qualitative Education Standards in the sector and
institutions in Uganda.
 DES evolved from Education Standards Agency (ESA) which was established in 2001 on authority of the letter from
Ministry of Public Service Reference MPS 14/109/1 dated 5 th March 2001 communicating Cabinet’s decision on
Divesture, requiring the Minister of Education and Sports to set up a separate (Semi-autonomous) body to replace the
Education Inspectorate. The operations of ESA were guided by the recommendations of the ESA Report of June 2000
and the Policy Guidelines and Implementation Strategy document (Executive Agency Implementation Strategy)
approved by Cabinet and provided by the Ministry of Public Service (March, 2001). However, the establishment of
Semiautonomous agency was never completed.
 The restructuring of MoES, in 2008 and Enactment of Education Act 2008 turned ESA into the Directorate of Education
Standards (DES). The functions, the role of Director and collaboration with LGs are clearly spelt out in the existing
laws.
 The Education Act 2008 under article 46 stipulates the functions of DES.
 The Education Act section 47 and 48 Guide on the role of the Executive Officer and how the directorate relates to the
local Government school inspectors respectively.
 The Local Government Act, Article 96, 97 and 99 articulate how LGs collaborate with Ministries, Directorates and
Agencies (MDAs) at Center.

2.0 The Mission of DES

 To provide a rational system of setting and defining standards and quality of education and training and to monitor the
achievement of such standards and quality for continually improved education and sports in Uganda.

3.0 DES MANAGEMENT

3.1 Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda
Dr Turyagyenda is the Director of the Directorate of Education Standards. She took over office on Monday 22nd May
2017. Previously she was working as the Commissioner Secondary Education Standards (SES) for the last 8 years.

3.2 Dr Cleophus Mugenyi

Dr Mugenyi is the Commissioner Teacher Education Standards.

3.3 Mr Hyzfa Abudallah Mutazindwa

Mr Mutazindwa is the Commissioner Business Technical Vocational Education and Training Standards.

3.4 Mr Patrick Balyogera

Mr Balyogera is the Ag. Commissioner Basic Education Standards.

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4.0 Other Key staff at DES are
4.1 Ms Frances Atima (Assistant Commissioner)
4.2 Mrs Susan Oketcho (Assistant Commissioner)

5.0 The Staffing Structure of DES

Currently, DES has a staff of 50 Inspectors against an establishment of 61. These are based both at the headquarters, and
regional offices. Senior Inspectors at the regions are subject specialists with varied knowledge and skills. Three senior
inspectors that handle cross cutting areas: special needs education, guidance and counseling, and physical education are
based at DES headquarters. Currently there are only two substantively appointed Principal Inspectors.

 DES operates from the center and in the four traditional regions of the Country.
 DES headquarters is located at Kyambogo.
 DES regional offices are allocated at Mbarara (Western); Gulu (Northern); Mpigi (Central) and; Mbale (Eastern).
 DES is headed by the Director assisted by four Commissioners and subject specialists at the level of Principal and
Senior Inspectors of Schools.
 DES is composed of four departments: (i) Pre-primary and Primary Education Standards, (ii) Secondary Education
Standards, (iii) Business Technical Vocational Education and Training Standards, and (iv) Teacher Education
Standards.
 The Regional Offices are headed by Assistant Commissioners assisted by Senior Inspectors who are subject
specialists in language, mathematics, sciences, social sciences and computer science, SNE, guidance and counseling,
Physical education and sports, BTVET, Basic education and secondary education.

6.0 Key functions

 To define, set and review standards in education practice and provision.

 Plan for inspection of schools and institutions to assess the status of standards and evaluate effectiveness of
education programmes of institutions and agencies.
 To develop systematic approaches to inspection and evaluation systems using appropriate quality indicators within
the education service.
 To provide reports on the quality of education and disseminate such reports.
 To develop the use of reports as a mechanism to provide support for and the dissemination of good practices and thus
to improve the quality of practice in education service as a whole and in particular aspects.
 To provide independent expert comment and advice to the Minister on education provision and practice at all levels
of education; and on such matters as may be specified by the Minister.

Scope of Work

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 (a) DES’ work of assessing the quality of education has been guided by a number of frameworks including EFA, MDG,
and SDG goals; and the Ministry of Education and Sports Education sector strategic plan 2016- 2020 and DES
Strategic Plan 2016- 2020. Consequently, DES subscribes to a broad view of quality which is defined in terms of:
i) Inputs
ii) Processes
iii) Outputs
iv) Outcomes
(b) Geographically DES’ work covers all the districts in Uganda and both public and private schools and institutions in
the following subsectors;
i) Pre-primary and Primary Schools
ii) Secondary Schools
iii) Teacher Education Colleges and institutions
iv) BTVET institutions,
(c) In terms of its clientele, DES quality and standards concerns cover the learners, the teachers, school management,
governing bodies, parents and the community.
(d) Through its findings and recommendations, DES provides professional and policy advice to the MoES, Local
Governments, schools and Sister Institutions such as UNEB, National Curriculum Development Centre, Education
Service Commission, NCHE etc. in addition to working with them as partners.

Stakeholders

(i) Learners (Pupils and Students)

(ii) School Management Committees/Board of Governors/ Governing Councils or Equivalent appropriate management
bodies.
(iii) Parents/Community
(iv) Local Governments
(v) Sister Sector Institutions namely UNEB, NCDC, NCHE, ESC
(vi) Non-governmental Organizations
(vii) Development Partners
(viii) Parliament
(ix) Prime Minister’s Office
(x) Government of Uganda Ministries

Contact
The Director,
Directorate of Education Standards,
Kyambogo, near NCDC
P.O. Box 3568,
Telephone: 0772308682 email: turyakedrace@gmail.com
Kampala, UGANDA.
www.education.go.ug

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