FULL PROGRAMME: Education ministry releases 2020 academic calendar for schools, polytechnics and other institutions

Ministry of Education and Sports Permanent Secretary Mr Alex Kakooza recently released the 2019 academic calendar. (PHOTO/File)

KAMPALA – The ministry of education and sports has released the schools’ and other institutions’ calendar – 2020 that will run for 38 weeks.

In a circular to all primary, secondary, technical schools and community polytechnics heads and other and All Headteachers: Government & Private Secondary, Primary Schools and Community Polytechnics, the Permanent Secretary Alex Kakooza scheduled the first term to start on Monday, February 3, 2020, and run through to May 1, 2020.

The first term for primary, secondary, technical/farm schools and community polytechnics will run for 89 days.

Second-term will begin from May 25 to August 21. The second term will also run for 89 days.

The Third term that is scheduled to run for 82 days will start from September 14 to November 27.

Learners will then have a three-week holiday before opening for each term.

The ministry says that school holidays and term dates are followed by primary and secondary schools as well as colleges across the country.

Primary, secondary, technical/farm schools and community polytechnics

Term		From	To	No of Days

Term	I	Monday 3^rd February 2020	Friday 1^st May, 2020	89 days

Term	II	Monday 25^th May 2020	Friday 21^st August, 2020	89 days

Term III		Monday 14^th September, 2020	Friday 27^th November, 2020	82 days

		TOTAL		260 days

Tough guild lines

According to the circular by the ministry, classes must start at 8:00 am and end not later than 5:00 PM every day and that districts/City Inspectors of Schools should ensure that schools comply.

The Ministry has also cautioned schools on wastage and loss of teaching and learning time at the beginning and end of the term.

“Lessons should start promptly and terms should not be cut short without clearance from my office,” the Permanent Secretary warned school heads adding that boarding schools should designate only one day a term as a visiting day.

The ministry warned school heads of Boarding Secondary Schools especially those in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono districts that they should ensure that they stagger the starting dates a week earlier than the official opening dates and also stagger the days for the end of the term.

“This is aimed at eliminating the inconveniences caused every beginning and end of the term to parents and schools,” the PS wrote.

For Primary Teachers Colleges, Mr. Kakooza scheduled their first term to start from February 2 to May 1.

Learners will then have a three week holiday before the second term starts on May 27.

The third term according to the circular will begin on September 15 to December 5.

Holidays

Term	From	To	No of Days

1^st Term holidays	Saturday 2^nd May, 2020	Sun 24^th May, 2020	23 days

2^nd Term holidays	Saturday 22^nd August, 2020	Sun 13^th September 2020	23 days

3^rd Term holidays	Saturday 28^th November 2020	Sun 31^st January, 2021	58 days

	Total		104 days

Primary Teachers’ Colleges

Term		From	To	No of Days
Term	I	Monday 3^rd February, 2020	Friday 1^st May, 2020	89 days
Term	II	Monday 25^th May, 2020	Friday 21^st August, 2020	89 days
Term III		Monday 14^th September, 2020	Friday 27^th November, 2020	82 days
		TOTAL		260 days

N.B.

Final School Practice for six weeks: – In-service: Sunday

Pre-service: Sunday

Promotion Examinations:

Final Written Examinations:

Technical and vocational and farm institutes:

Term		From	To	No of Days
Term	I	Monday 3^rd February, 2020	Friday 1^st May, 2020	89 days
Term	II	Monday 25^th May, 2020	Friday 21^st August, 2020	89 days
Term III		Monday 14^th September, 2020	Friday 27^th November, 2020	82 days
		TOTAL		260 days

N.B.

End of Term III/Year UBTEB Examinations Calendar shall be followed.

Uganda Technical Colleges:

Term	From	To	No of
			Weeks
Semester I	17^th August 2020	18^th December 2020	17 Weeks
Semester II	15^th February 2021	4^th June 2021	17 weeks
UBTEB May/ June Examinations 2020	15^th May 2020	29^th May 2020
UBTEB Nov/Dec Examinations 2020	4^th December 2020	18^th December 2020
Industrial Training	December 2020	January 2021
	Total
			3

Nursing training schools:

Term	From		To		No of days
Semester I		13^th July 2020		11^th December 2020	17 Weeks
Semester II		22^nd February 2021		28^th June 2021	17 Weeks
UNMEB Examinations		4^th December 2020		18^th December 2020
Industrial Training

Paramedical Institutions
Semester I		20^th July 2020		11^th December 2020	17 Weeks
Semester II		15^th February 2021		4^th June 2021	17 Weeks

Uganda Colleges of Commerce:

Semester	From	To	No. of
			Weeks
1^st Semester	24^th August 2020	18^th December 2020	17 Weeks
2^nd Semester	22^nd February 2021	11^th June 2021	17 Weeks
UBTEB May/June Examinations 2020	15^th May 2020	29^th May 2020
UBTEB Nov/Dec Examinations 2020	4^th December 2020	18^th December 2020

Survey institute, meteorological institute, schools of clinical officers, school of hygiene Mbale, paramedical schools and Butabika school of psychiatry, agricultural colleges, wildlife institute, fisheries institute, and cooperative colleges

Semester	From		To		No. of
					Weeks
1^st Semester		24^th August 2020		11^th December 2020	17 Weeks
Industrial training		June 2020		August 2020

2^nd Semester		24^th February 2021		11^th June 2021	17 Weeks

UBTEB Examinations’: Technical colleges, Colleges of Commerce, Agricultural Colleges, Survey Institutes, Meteorological Institutes, Wild Life Institutes, Fisheries Institutes and Cooperative Colleges End of Year Semester Examinations’. UBTEB Examinations’ calendar shall be followed.

Health Tutors’ College, Mulago

Term	From	To	No. of weeks

1^st Semester	17^th August 2020	11^th December 2020	17 Weeks
2^nd Semester	25^th January 2021	27^th May 2021	17 weeks
Recess	29^th June 2020	24^th July 2020	25 days
Short Break	27^th July 2020	14^th August 2020	18 Days
1^st Semester Academic Yr 19/20

National Teachers’ Colleges and Community Polytechnics Instructors’ Colleges

Diploma in Education Secondary

Term	Opening of Term	Closing of Term	No. of Days

Term I	23^rd September 2019	13^th December 2019	82 Days
Term II	3^rd February 2020	2^nd May 2020	91Days
Term III	25^th May 2020	11^th August 2020	77 Days
	Total		Days

Diploma in Education Primary

	Session		Opening of Term			Closing of Term

	1^st Session				4^th May 2020		22^nd May 2020
	2^nd Session			23^rd August 2020			11^th September 2020
	3^rd Session			1^st December 2019			31^st January 2020
	SESEMAT TRAINING FOR NTCs

C. THEORY EXAMINATIONS FOR NATIONAL TEACHERS’ COLLEGES

	A	Diploma Secondary Education (DES)			29^th July 2020		10^th August 2020

	B	Diploma Primary Education (DEP)			17^th January 2020		31^st January 2020

N.B.

All DEP face-to-face sessions will strictly take place during the Primary Schools’ holidays as indicated above.

All participating teachers/tutors must report to their respective duty stations on the opening dates of the term.

School Practice for Diploma in Education Secondary Monday 26^th May 2013 to 14^th July 2013

School Practice for Diploma in Education Primary to be conducted during term time as this is an on-job Distance Education Programme.

Other activities

	ACTIVITIES		TENTATIVE DATES
a.	Placement of P7 and S4
	Placement of P7 leavers		January 2020

	Placement of S4 Leavers		January 2020

b.	National Schools’ Science & Agriculture Fairs
	Primary (This will double as the Education week) The
	theme will be communicated during the course of 1^st
	term.
	Secondary Schools		Term II 2020
	-Regional Science Fair
	-National Science Fair
	Tertiary Institutions

c.	World Teacher’s Day		5^th October 2020
	National celebrations. Venue “to be decided ”
	DEAR Day		12^th March 2020
	Primary Music Dance and Drama festival		25^th– 29^th August 2020
	3^rd National Teachers’ Conference		1^st– 4^th September 2020

d.	Annual School Career Events
	o	Secondary Schools

	o	BTVET institutions

	o	Primary Teachers’ Colleges

e.	National Book Week
f.	National Music, Dance and Drama Competitions

Schools’ and other tertiary institutions’ games and sports calendar 2020

Date	Activity					Organized by	Venue
March
29^th -31st	National Intercollegiate Tertiary Institution					Intercollegiate	UCC Pakwach		–
	(NITI) Games		UTCs/UCCS/NTCs/ Tutors			Principals Sports	Pakwach /
	Colleges/Other		Specialized Departments;			Association	UTC Kichwamba
	Agriculture/Forestry/Fisheries/Meteorology					(IPSA)	–
	(Athletics/ X – Country/Basketball/ Board						Kabarole
	Games		Football/		Handball/
	Volleyball/Netball/ Wood ball/Rugby)
24^th – 27^th	All Institutions Goal Ball Competitions for					Uganda	Lugogo	–
	Students with Learning Needs – The blind					Paralympics	Kampala Uganda
	(IUGC – SNE)					Committee
						(UPC)
April
₁st _-7th	(NITI) Games continued					IPSA	UCC Pakwach
24^th -30^th	National Technical Schools and Community					Vocational	Ruharo
	Polytechnics Games (NTSCP) ( Athletics/					Schools Sports	Vocational
	Board	Games/		Cross	Country/	Association	Training	Institute
	Football/Handball/Netball/Volleyball/Wood					(VSSA)	– Mbarara/
	ball and Demonstrations of Cricket)						Rweziringiriro
							TS-Isingiro/
							Kakiika	TS-
							Mbarara
May
₁st _{– 5}th	NTSCP Games Continued					VSSA	As above
5^th – 14^th	National Secondary Schools Racket, Bat					USSSA	Sacred	Heart	–
	And Ball Games I (Badminton/Tennis/Table						Gulu
	Tennis/Basketball/Girls			Football/ Hockey/
	Rugby, Demonstration of Wood ball

5^th – 18^th	Copa Coca Cola					Coca Cola	Mvara SS – Arua

6^th – 16^th	National Primary Schools Kids and SNE					UPSGSA	Sironko/ Kitgum/
	Athletics Championship						Masaka/Busia
							District
June
28^th – 30^th	Secondary	Schools National			Swimming	USSSA	Kampala Region
	(SSNS) Gala; Racket/Bat/Board Games

29^th – 30^th	Disability Cricket					UPS & UCA	Kyambogo
							University

July

5^th – 12^th	National Secondary Schools Ball Game II				USSSA			Dr. Obote SS and
	(Handball/Netball/Volleyball/Swimming/Bo							St. Catherine SS –
	ard Games/FUFA S1 & S2 tournaments.							Lira
	Athletics & Cross Country Championship
23^rd – 31^st	ALL AFRICA University Games (FASUG)				FAUSU			Rabat – Morocco –
August
₁st _{– 5}th	FASU GAMES Continued							Rabat – Morocco
13^th – 23^rd	18^th Edition of East Africa Secondary				FEASSSA			Kenya
	Schools Games (FEASSA and Primary
	School
	Athletics/Netball/Football/Handball/Hockey
	Volleyball/Basketball/Rugby			and
	Swimming)
₁₄th	8^TH Edition of the Education Sector Physical				PES	&	ESSR	Kampala/Wakiso
	Activity and Sports (ESSR PAS)Gala				Secretariat
20^th – 30^th	7^th Edition of the National Technical &				National			Bukinda	PTC –
	Vocational	Institutes/PTC		Games	Association of			Kabale/Ndegeya
	(Athletics/Cross Country/Basketball/				PTCs	Technical		CPTC – Masaka/
	Football/Handball/Netball/Volleyball/Wood				Vocational			Bishop	Stuart –
	ball/Board Games) and MDD				Institutes		Sports	Mbarara/Kabale
					Association			TI	–
					NAPTVISA			Kabale/Rukungiri
								TI – Rukungiri
25^th – 31^st	International Paralympic Committee Games				UPC/NCS/PES			Tokyo Japan
26^th – 31st	Primary Schools and SNE Ball Games				UPSSGA			Masaka/Kabale/
								Bushenyi
September
₁st _{– 5}th	Primary Schools and SNE Ball Games				UPSSGA			Masaka/Kabale/
								Bushenyi
₁st _-6th	International Paralympic Committee Games				UPC/NCS/PES			Tokyo Japan
1^st – 10^th	Health Training		Institutions	Games	APHTIU			Fort	portal
	(Athletics/X-Couuntry/Handball/			Football/				College of Health
	Netball/Volleyball/Wood ball			& Board				Sciences	–
	Games)							Kabarole/ Kabale
								Nursing	School/
								UIAHMS
								Mulago	–
								Kampala
25^th -30^th	7^TH Edition of the National Education				UPC			Mbale
	Institutions Disability Sports Gala
October
17^th -24^th	International	Schools	sports	Federation	ISF			Jinjiang – China
	Summer Gymnasiade

25^th -31^st	Tertiary	Institutions	Champions	Uganda Tertiary		UAHAIMS,
	Championship			Institutions		Mulago	–
				Sports		Kampala
				Association
				(UTISA)
November
₁st _{– 6}th	Tertiary	Institutions	Champions	UTISA		UAHAIMS
	Championship
December
10^th – 20^th	East Africa Inaugural Games for Tertiary			Federation	of	Kenya/	Kampala
	Institutions			East	Africa	–
				Tertiary		Uganda/Tanzania
				Institutions
				Regional	Sports
				Associations
				(FEATIRSA)
15^th – 22^nd	East Africa University Sport Games			EAUSF		Ndejje University
						– Luwero

Public Holidays 2020

Wednesday	1^st January, 2020	New year’s Day

Sunday	26^th January, 2020	NRM Liberation Day

Sunday	16^th February, 2020	Archbishop Janani Luwum Day

Sunday	8^th March, 2020	Women’s Day

Friday	10^th April, 2020	Good Friday

Sunday	12^th April, 2020	Easter Sunday

Monday	13^th April, 2020	Easter Monday

Friday	1^st May, 2020	Labour Day

Wednesday	3^rd June, 2020	Uganda Martyrs’ Day

Tuesday	9^th June, 2020	National Heroes’ Day

Sunday	24^th May, 2020	Eid -Il- Fitr

Friday	31^st July 2020	Eid al-Adha

Friday	9^th October, 2020	Independence day

Friday	25^th December, 2020	Christmas Day

Saturday	26^th December, 2020	Boxing day

Notes on Calendar

N.B. (i) This calendar does not include dates for Private and Public Universities. Their dates are decided upon by the respective Universities.

The days as recorded on this calendar include public holidays and weekends.

The number of weeks in the semester cycle is based on a 7-day working week.

The Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education & Sports should be notified of any changes in the schedules in the calendar.

Compliance by all

This calendar must be complied with by all Education Institutions (Government and Private). No teaching shall take place in any institution during designated holidays without the written permission of the Permanent Secretary. Also, note that violation of this calendar shall invite disciplinary action against Headteachers/Schools.

The dates indicated on this calendar may only be varied after obtaining written permission, on an individual basis, from the Permanent Secretary on the recommendation of the Director of Education, Basic and Secondary Education or Higher, Technical and Vocational Education and Training, Ministry of Education and Sports, as the case may be.