Education sector tops employment – survey

KAMPALA. The 2016/17 Manpower Survey Uganda (MAPU) by Uganda Bureau of Statistics (Ubos) has revealed that the education sector is the largest employer in Uganda, followed by public administration, and manufacturing.

The survey results shows that in 2014, education employed 619,600 people and another 675,000 workers in 2015, while public administration took in 80,600 people in 2014, and 86,000 in 2015. Manufacturing employed 70,700 in 2014, and another 80,400 people in 2015.

Presenting the findings yesterday at Statistics House in Kampala, the director of social economic surveys at Ubos, Mr James Muwonge, said: “Public sector establishment by type education constitutes 87.86 per cent, public administration 6.6 per cent, Human health, and Social Work 7.7 per cent, and the remaining percentage is for other sectors.”

Mr Muwonge said trade and repairs employed 31,300 people in 2014, and 37,000 in 2015, while accommodation and food services activities employed 30,800 in 2014, 36,100 in 2015, and human health and social work activities26, 400 in 2014, and 32, 000, while Financial and insurance activities took in 15,200 in 2014, and more 17,100 people in 2015.

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation had 11,000 in 2014 and additional 12,300 people in 2015, as Transport and Storage took in 6,000 in 2014, and 6,000 in 2015, while administrative and support services activities in 2014 employed 8,000 and 8,300 people in 2015, other service activities had 12,100 in 2014, and 13,800 people in 2015.
On employment establishment by sector, Mr Muwonge said “private sector employees the largest number of people with 77 per cent, while public sector stood at 23 per cent.”

Although there are many people who are unemployed in the country, the Manpower survey further shows that vacancies still exist in permanent posts.
Mr Muwonge cited manufacturing with 1,316 vacancies, public administration 24,851, education 11,750, human health and social work activities 2,675 and others with 2,766 vacancies, adding up to 43,358 vacancies in the country.
On the state of supply labour from all training institutions in 2015, the survey shows that Business Administration and Law top with 20,340, engineering manufacturing and construction producing 18,990 and education 17,840, among others.
“On annual basis the training institutions pass out 101,350 graduates into the labour market,” Mr Muwonge said.

In terms of education qualification, the Manpower survey reveals that those with certificate top followed by the diploma holders, degree and very few with master and PhD levels.

For wages and salaries, the survey shows the median salary for public health doctor is Shs1,019,000 while in the private sector is Shs1,229,000, and public sector secondary school teacher is paid Shs612,000 and in private Shs542,000, while public school primary teachers are paid Shs480,000, and those in private sector Shs408,000, and early childhood educators in public sector get Shs270,000 while in private are paid Shs247,000. Overall, the survey reveals that people in the public sector are paid higher than the private sector but they work less hours compared to those employed in the private sector.

Access to information
The report showed that obtaining information in ministries and government institutions was harder than in the private sector, with Ubos executive director Ben Paul Munggyereza citing huge problems of bureaucracy in government agencies.
The manager trade, industry and tourism at the National Planning Authority (NPA), Mr Ronald Kagwa, in an interview said the survey brings out critical issues that need to be addressed if Uganda is to move into middle income status.

The executive director of Economic Policy Research Centre, Dr Sarah Ssewayana, said: “The issue of gender gap and the notion of private sector-led economic growth strategy of low compliancy issues in the private sector remains issue. I am also disappointed with the results because there are many people in the primary level; how are we going to achieve the middle income status within the prescribed period?