Education leaders, researchers and policymakers have been challenged to move beyond crisis response and begin deliberately planning for an uncertain future, as the Africa Regional Education Systems Resilience Observatory (ARESRO) Uganda Foresight Analysis Workshop opened in Kampala, February 4th – 5th , 2026.
The two-day workshop brings together key stakeholders to examine how Uganda’s education system can withstand, adapt to and recover from shocks ranging from pandemics and conflict to technological disruption and mental health crises. The meeting is part of the wider ARESRO project, supported under the GPE-KIX initiative, which is examining education system resilience across 42 African countries.
Speaking at the opening of the workshop, Prof. Anthony Muwagga Mugagga, the Project Head for the Makerere University College of Education and External Studies research team, reminded participants that shocks are not new, but preparedness often is. Drawing on historical, national and deeply personal reflections, Prof. Mugagga argued that resilience is built not in moments of crisis, but long before they occur.
Reflecting on the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted that while the health crisis felt unprecedented, it exposed long-standing social and systemic weaknesses within families and institutions. He challenged participants to consider whether Uganda’s education system is ready for future disruptions, stressing that shocks are inevitable.
“Resilience is about rapid response and preparedness,” Prof. Mugagga said, likening education system shocks to a medical stroke. “If our education system suffered a ‘stroke’ today, how would we restore it with minimal damage?”
He further highlighted emerging pressures on learners, including mental health challenges, academic fatigue, early exposure to harmful content, and weaknesses in early childhood education due to untrained caregivers. Prof. Mugagga called for foresighted leadership, stronger teacher training, integration of health and psychosocial support in education, and the articulation of a clear national philosophy of education.
Dr. Roy William Mayega, Deputy Chief of Party at the ResilientAfrica Network (RAN), reinforced the need for foresight thinking, cautioning that planning based only on past assumptions is no longer sufficient in a rapidly changing world. He observed that while some aspects of the future unfold gradually, others arrive suddenly and disruptively.
Using COVID-19 as a reference point, Dr. Mayega reflected on how the pandemic transformed education delivery, accelerating the adoption of online and blended learning at institutions such as Makerere University. He noted that these changes, once considered experimental, are now part of everyday teaching reality.
“We cannot ban the future,” Dr. Mayega said, pointing to artificial intelligence as a current example. “Instead, we must rethink how we teach and assess learning, and how we use technology as a tool rather than a threat”.
He urged participants to use the foresight analysis process to imagine both positive and negative futures, mitigate emerging risks, and harness opportunities for transformation. He emphasised that foresight is not about predicting the future, but about expanding thinking to prepare for multiple possible futures.
Earlier, participants were guided through the objectives and methodology of the workshop by Dr. Julius Ssentongo, RAN Director Operations and Director Eastern Africa Resilience Innovation Lab whose presentation outlined the ARESRO project’s focus on understanding education system resilience in the context of a growing “polycrisis” that includes climate change, conflict, pandemics and technological disruption. This presentation also highlighted the fact that the foresight analysis approach encourages stakeholders to reflect on shared history, identify emerging trends, map system disruptions and envision long-term pathways for change.
Ms. Sarah Bugoosi Kibooli, Commissioner for Special Needs and Inclusive Education in the Ministry of Education and Sports in Uganda and the ARESRO Focal Person, called upon the research team to work closely with the ministry leadership as data collection and analysis continues. She noted that strong engagement with policymakers would ensure that evidence generated by the project directly informs national education planning. Ms. Bugoosi asked, “How do we utilize the knowledge and so much information we have gathered through research? We need to focus on this as a country. This should be something that is ongoing – we should walk the talk”.
This workshop will feed into planning and execution of similar workshops in other partner countries. It is expected to generate insights that will guide policy, strengthen institutional preparedness and contribute to building a more inclusive, equitable and resilient education system for Uganda and the wider African region.
The workshop drew participants from partner universities, religious organizations, local government, academia, teacher trainers and the private sector including representatives from Ministry of Education and Sports, Makerere University – College of Education and External Studies (CEES), National Curriculum Development Centre, Kampala International University, Kyambogo University, Uganda Catholic Secretariat, LINK Community Development – Uganda, Dalhousie University in Canada, Ministry of Gender, Labor and Social Development, Church of Uganda representatives, Uganda Muslim Education Association, and the RAN Team among others.
By Betty Kyakuwa, Principal Public Relations Officer, Makerere and Harriet Adong, RAN Director Communication and Public Relations
