Government Aims to Cut Rental Costs with Ministry of Education’s Kyambogo HQ
The Ministry of Education and Sports in Uganda is embarking on the construction of its own headquarters, with the goal of saving 4.5 billion Ugandan shillings annually previously spent on rent for office spaces. The current practice involves renting private office spaces for technical staff and various departments, scattered across different buildings in the city. This decentralization has presented challenges in terms of coordination within the ministry.
The groundbreaking ceremony for the new headquarters took place at the construction site in Kyambogo, near Kyambogo Primary School. The move aligns with the government’s initiative to reduce rental expenses, as it allocates over 100 billion shillings each year to cover rent costs. In 2021, a plan was outlined to consolidate government ministries and agencies leasing private properties into the Bwebajja Airport Hotel complex on Entebbe Road to alleviate the financial burden associated with renting.
The construction project is estimated to cost 61.9 billion shillings, with 68 percent of the financing coming from a loan obtained from the Islamic Development Bank, while the government will contribute the remaining 32 percent. The construction contract has been awarded to a collaboration between Sadeem Al Kuwait General Trading and Contracting Company and Dott Service Limited.
The planned headquarters complex will consist of two towers, an auditorium with 600 seats, and two parking decks. It is expected to accommodate more than 700 staff and is set to be completed within 18 months from the commissioning date.
This move places the Ministry of Education within the educational cluster in Kyambogo, alongside institutions such as Kyambogo University, Uganda Business and Technical Examination Board (UBTEB), the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB), The Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA), and the Education Service Commission.
The idea of establishing ministry headquarters in Kyambogo dates back to 2010 when land was allocated for this purpose. However, the project did not progress until 2015, when the Islamic Development Bank was engaged to fund it as the “Skills Development Headquarters Building.” After resolving contract-related issues, the project was approved in 2020.
The Islamic Development Bank has also been a key funding source for various educational projects in Uganda, including enhancing training infrastructure and supplying equipment at National Colleges and Technical Institutes across the country.
