NCDC IN CHAOS! Billions Missed, Jobs Empty, Debts Rot — Is Karuhanga’s Time Up as Internal War Erupts?

The rot at the National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC) has finally exploded into the open, and what is emerging from the Auditor General’s December 2025 report is a damning portrait of an institution limping under the weight of internal failures, financial indiscipline, and a bitter succession war at the top.

At the centre of the storm is Director Dr. Bernadette N. Karuhanga, a long-serving technocrat who has steered the institution for over five years, overseeing landmark reforms including the rollout of the new Lower Secondary Curriculum. But as insiders now whisper, her tenure is entering what one highly placed source called “its evening,” and the knives are already out.

“She has done her part, no doubt about that,” a senior insider told Red Pepper in hushed tones. “But the system is choking. The question now is whether she still has the energy and political backing to fix what is clearly broken.”

The Auditor General’s findings read like a charge sheet.

At a time when Uganda’s education system is under immense pressure to deliver quality and relevance, NCDC is sitting on UGX 392.49 million in receivables that have remained uncollected since 2003 — over two decades of financial laxity that now threatens to turn into outright bad debt. “This is not just oversight, this is negligence,” a source fumed. “How do you fail to collect money for 20 years?”

The financial mismanagement does not stop there. Out of UGX 1.97 billion in payables, a staggering UGX 1.96 billion — 99 percent — has been outstanding for more than a year, in direct violation of the Public Finance Management Act regulations. All this falls squarely under the watch of Finance Manager CPA Stephen Kwiri, raising serious questions about internal controls and accountability.

Inside the institution, the staffing situation is nothing short of alarming. Out of an approved structure of 236 positions, only 123 are filled, leaving a shocking 47 percent vacancy rate. Nearly half the workforce is missing, yet the institution is expected to drive one of the most ambitious education reforms in Uganda’s history.

“People are overstretched, morale is low, and yet expectations are sky high,” an insider revealed. “You cannot run a national curriculum body on half a tank.”

Responsibility for this staffing crisis points to the Human Resource and Administration docket led by John Habiyaremye, as questions mount over recruitment bottlenecks and planning failures.

Meanwhile, billions meant to transform the education sector are simply not being used. Of the planned procurements worth UGX 11.61 billion for the financial year, UGX 2.58 billion — 22 percent — was never undertaken. Procurement, under Livingston Rugasira, now finds itself under scrutiny, with critics asking whether inefficiency or internal wrangles are to blame.

And then comes the bigger picture — a strategic plan in disarray.

While the Centre projected a massive UGX 292.4 billion for its strategic ambitions, it only secured UGX 190.35 billion, leaving a funding gap of over UGX 102 billion. The consequences are evident: only 54 percent of planned strategic interventions were fully implemented, 8 percent partially executed, and a staggering 37 percent never took off at all.

“This is not just about money,” a policy analyst observed. “It is about planning, prioritisation, and leadership. Even with limited funds, you expect better than this.”

Revenue generation is equally disappointing. Out of UGX 116.47 million in Non-Tax Revenue projections for the 2024/2025 financial year, only UGX 43.94 million was realised — a performance rate of just 37.7 percent. Planning Unit head Ambrose Sansa now finds himself under pressure to explain the shortfall.

Perhaps most telling is the actual output on the ground. Out of outputs worth UGX 16.25 billion assessed, only two outputs worth UGX 608 million were fully implemented, while six outputs worth UGX 15.45 billion were only partially delivered. For an institution tasked with shaping the intellectual future of a nation, the figures are nothing short of shocking.

All this comes against the backdrop of widespread criticism of the new Lower Secondary Curriculum — a flagship reform under Dr. Karuhanga’s leadership. Teachers across the country have complained of inadequate training, lack of instructional materials, and the high cost of implementation. The much-touted “cascade” training model has been branded ineffective, leaving educators confused and students exposed.

“We were thrown into something we barely understood,” one teacher lamented. “Now learners are the ones paying the price.”

As pressure mounts, attention is also turning to the Governing Council chaired by Prof. George Ladaah Openjuru, who doubles as Vice Chancellor of Gulu University. Critics argue that oversight has been weak, allowing systemic issues to fester unchecked.

Behind closed doors, however, an even more explosive drama is unfolding.

Sources reveal a fierce internal battle for control of NCDC as Dr. Karuhanga’s contract edges closer to its end. Leading the charge are insiders including Deputy Director Research, Consultancy and Library Services, Dr. Richard Irumba, and Deputy Director Curriculum Review and Instructional Materials Development, Dr. Ssembirige Patrice, both reportedly eyeing the top seat.

“There is a silent war going on,” a source disclosed. “People are positioning, lobbying, and undermining each other. It’s no longer about the institution — it’s about who takes over.”

But the intrigue does not end there. Powerful actors are said to be pushing for an outsider to take the helm, a move that has unsettled insiders and intensified the power struggle. At the same time, some council members whose tenure is nearing its end are allegedly lobbying for extensions, further complicating the governance landscape.

“It’s a perfect storm,” the source added. “Leadership uncertainty, internal divisions, and a damning audit report — something has to give.”

The big question now hanging over NCDC is brutally simple: has Dr. Karuhanga outlived her usefulness?

While her supporters point to her role in modernising Uganda’s curriculum, critics argue that the mounting failures, exposed weaknesses, and growing unrest signal the need for fresh leadership.

As one education sector watcher put it, “Reforms are only as good as their implementation. Right now, the system is sending a very loud message — change is coming, whether people like it or not.”

For now, all eyes remain fixed on NCDC — an institution at the heart of Uganda’s education system, now caught in a storm of accountability, ambition, and survival.

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