Overlapping mandates threaten higher education quality, warns NPA
The National Planning Authority (NPA) in Uganda has warned that overlapping mandates among higher education regulators are threatening the quality of the sector. The NPA is calling for government intervention to harmonize roles between the National Council for Higher Education and various professional bodies.
Why it matters
Regulatory confusion in education can lead to inconsistent standards, directly impacting the quality of human capital development in a developing economy.
The National Planning Authority (NPA) has warned that overlapping mandates among higher education regulators and professional bodies could undermine the quality and development of Uganda's higher education sector.
Mr Joseph Muvawala, the NPA Executive Director, said government needs to harmonise regulation and clearly define the roles of the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), the TVET regulator and professional bodies to prevent duplication.
Speaking at the launch of the NCHE's five-year Strategic Plan, Service Delivery Standards and Client Charter which will guide the council's operations from 2025/26 to 2029/30 in Kampala on Thursday, Mr Muvawala said unclear jurisdiction could frustrate implementation of the new tools.
"We need harmonisation in regulation so as to clearly know who regulates what, where does higher education start and stop?" Dr Muvawala asked.
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