Educational Governance and Compliance: An Assessment of Adherence to Uganda’s Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards in Mbarara City

Abstract

This study assesses the governance dynamics influencing the effectiveness of school inspections in enforcing the Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards (BRMS) in Mbarara City, Uganda. Using quantitative from the Inspections Assessment report and qualitative data gathered from education officials, school leaders, and community stakeholders, the study highlights important governance issues compromising the inspection regime including weak institutional capacity, limited inspector autonomy, insufficient resource allocation, and poor stakeholder involvement. According to the findings, shortcomings in internal school governance and lack of transparent dissemination of inspector’s findings undermine accountability and harm educational quality. Nestled within the broader framework of governance, the study underlines the need of enhancing regulatory control, empowering local governance organizations, and promoting community participation to raise compliance and service delivery. The paper concludes with pragmatic recommendations designed to improve governance mechanisms so that school inspections might be effective tools for ensuring equity and quality of education in Uganda and other decentralized educational systems of a similar nature around the world.