The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party has advised the government to change the current school calendar to a two-term system per year to reduce pressure on parents and guardians regarding school fees in the country.

According to Patrick Oboi Amuriat, the FDC party president, the current three terms of study are too close to each other, which forces children to have limited time with their parents and guardians to learn other imperative skills beyond the school walls.

“We propose the restructuring of Uganda’s school calendar to a two-term system, in which children spend at least four (4) months at school and two (2) months at home. This will first of all reduce the frequency of school fee demands, hence easing the financial burden on parents,” Amuriat said.

While addressing journalists on Thursday, May 28th, 2026, at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, Amuriat added that parents are constantly under pressure to raise school fees within very short windows of time, and students don’t have enough holiday time to spend with parents and guardians at home.

He added that children spend the majority of the year confined within school walls and return home for only one to two weeks.

“The current system is characterized by short school terms and very short holidays. Children live at school and only come home to visit for a week or two and go back. Children are growing up without time for any informal education. To make it worse, some schools retain candidate classes at school during holidays for coaching, and so, some end up not coming home at all,” he added.

On the other hand, Amuriat said the current education system is nurturing children who are more theoretical than practical, as required by the current trend in the job markets, which affects the quality of local labor.

“The current system is producing examination candidates, young people who have spent years in classrooms but who are disconnected from family, from community, and from reality,” Amuriat said.

However, educational strategists explained that while long holidays offer valuable opportunities for rest and family time, they can lead to learning loss, where students forget previously taught material. They further revealed that extended breaks also disrupt daily routines, making the transition back to a structured academic environment incredibly challenging for many learners.

Meanwhile, Monday, May 25th, 2026, marked the start of the second term for primary and secondary school for major schools across the country.