Social justice in Uganda: Is Universal Primary Education Enough to Ensure Social Justice for All Ugandans?

Abstract: Today, we live in an age that is continually witnessing tension, strife and terrorism as a direct product of unequal distribution of wealth and opportunities for a good life. In Uganda for over two and half decades, war, insurgency and deprivation have been the realities of the people living in Northern Uganda. This evidently has lead to an imbalance in the Ugandan society with the North standing out as marginalised in respect to the rest of the country. The country’s leadership does understand that this is not in its best interest. They have consequently sought to make amends. They introduced free Universal Primary Education in 1997 as one of the ways to equalise opportunities and reduce inequalities within the Ugandan society. This study, therefore, examines the initiative for free universal education in the context of Northern Uganda as regards the creation of a more egalitarian society. The underlying question is: Does Universal Primary Education lead to social justice? In addressing this question, Rawls’ theory of justice as fairness is used. It calls for society to redistribute resources to those who have least in society, while upholding the liberties for all people so as to have a just society. The findings are that it is commendable that Uganda is striving to offer free education. This initiative, however, fails to pay attention to the special needs of those living in Northern Uganda. Its failure to do so falls short of creating a level field for opportunities in the education sector for those leaving in Northern Uganda, thus falling shorting of fulfilling the goal of social justice for Uganda.