The Education Policy Lab (EPL) is evidence-based policy development and implementation mechanism that brings together Ministries departments Agencies and Local Governments together and policy researchers to generate evidence and innovations for sustainable transformation of education and sports sector. The EPL is joint partnership between the Ministry of Education, Department of Policy, Research, and Analysis with Ace Policy Research Institute (APRI). The lab utilizes the existing structures of the Ministry of education and sports. The EPL is an innovative initiative designed to enhance the effectiveness of policy processes across Uganda’s Education and Sports sector. The Lab will serve as a collaborative platform bringing together policymakers, practitioners, researchers, and other stakeholders to support, peer review policy evidence, refine, and evaluate policy interventions.
This partnership is aligned with the Ministry’s Missions and strategic approaches of both institutions. The MoES mission is “to provide technical support, guide, coordinate, regulate, and promote the delivery of quality education and sports to all persons in Uganda; for national integration, individual and national development”. The aim of the Lab will be to improve policy development and implementation processes by specifically focusing on access to opportunities for early and foundational learning through enhanced policy coordination and support and contribute to improved learning outcomes across the sector at all levels for sustained human capital development.
The Early Childhood Care and Education Policy (2024), the National Teachers’ Policy (2019), the Technical Vocational Education and Training Policy (2019) warrant a concerted effort towards ensuring successful execution. This calls for broader systems thinking across the sector and the whole human capital development program of Government than siloed approaches. The EPL would be a mechanism for system delivery of policy commitments aligned with political priorities. Through adaptation of implementation science, the EPL would directly tackle policy challenges and cause correct through iterative approaches.
The EPL will bring together policymakers, researchers, practitioners, development partners, and civil society organizations to bridge the gap between policy formulation and implementation. It will provide a collaborative space to test, refine, and scale up interventions that have demonstrated effectiveness in improving teaching and learning outcomes, while fostering a culture of data-driven and evidence-based decision-making within the education sector.
Through this partnership, APRI and the MoES aim to:
(a) Promote inclusive and high-quality early and foundational learning for all children, with particular focus on those in underserved and marginalized communities.
(b) Address gender disparities and promote equity and safety in learning environments by tackling barriers that hinder especially girls from fully participating in education.
(c) Strengthen institutional capacity, collaboration, and policy coherence within Uganda’s education sector to enhance the effectiveness of implementation and coordination.
(d) Ensure that education policies are evidence-informed and aligned with national development goals and global commitments.
