The Ministry of Education and Sports has granted a specific exemption to international schools, allowing them to continue with ongoing Term Two instructional activities and examinations. The clearance comes despite a nationwide directive postponing the reopening of all schools and educational institutions to Tuesday, February 10, 2026, from the earlier date of February 2, to prioritise learner safety during and after the electoral period.
In a letter signed by the Acting Permanent Secretary, Cleophus Mugenyi, the ministry cited the unique operational setup of international schools, including distinct academic calendars, examination schedules, and contractual obligations with foreign examination boards. As a result, the ministry authorised these schools to proceed with their programmes without alteration.
“The ministry is cognisant of the fact that international schools operate under different academic calendars, which are aligned to the requirements of the respective examination systems undertaken by learners. The ministry hereby authorises international schools to continue with Term Two instructional activities and proceed with ongoing examinations,” the letter addressed to proprietors and principals of international schools reads in part.
URN has learned that the decision followed a series of internal meetings at the education ministry, currently overseen by Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, who is acting in the portfolio while the substantive minister, Janet Museveni, is on leave. International schools in Uganda follow academic calendars linked to foreign education systems such as Cambridge, the International Baccalaureate (IB), the French Baccalauréat, and the American model.
These schedules differ significantly from those of public and private schools operating under the national system. The ministry’s earlier directive had therefore raised concerns within the international schools sector, prompting a request for clarification, to which the exemption letter was a response. The general postponement of school reopening was announced on January 16, 2026, in a circular issued by Permanent Secretary Dr Kedrace Turyagyenda.
The directive explicitly applies to public and private schools, international schools, tertiary institutions, and universities nationwide. “Due to the General Elections and to ensure the safety of all learners, all schools and education institutions across the country are directed to reopen on Tuesday, 10th February 2026,” the circular stated. In recent days, institutions such as Makerere University and Metropolitan International University have issued notices to students confirming the delay in the resumption of Semester Two. Others, including Uganda Christian University (UCU), have temporarily shifted to online learning.
Despite the ministry’s guidance on delayed reopening, apart from the exemption granted to international schools, some private schools have already informed parents through social media that they will reopen earlier. Several messages seen indicate that some schools have asked learners to return as early as February 6, continuing a trend in which institutions occasionally adjust calendars by days or weeks under competitive or parental pressure.
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