Education stakeholders in Uganda are pressing for stronger research, earlier identification of dyslexia and better preparation of teachers so that learners with the condition get consistent support from primary school through to adult life. The call came out of the fourth National Dyslexia Awareness Day, held at the Makerere University School of Public Health Auditorium, according to allAfrica.com.
The gathering brought together researchers, educators, parents, learners, and representatives of government and disability organisations. It was held under the theme "Embrace neurodiversity and celebrate the unique strengths of individuals with dyslexia — through every stage and every transition," allAfrica.com reports.
Why it matters
Dyslexia affects how a person reads and writes, and organisers said learners in Uganda whose difficulties go unrecognised are often stigmatised. Their struggles are frequently mistaken for a lack of ability or effort rather than a learning difference that can be addressed with the right support.
That misreading has consequences beyond the classroom. The organisers pointed to limited awareness, gaps in identification and assessment, and inadequate support services as the main barriers facing people with dyslexia in the country. They also noted that learning differences can remain undetected among students in higher education, where support needs often go undocumented.
The event's framing — support "through every stage and every transition" — reflects a concern that help, where it exists, is not sustained as learners move between school levels, into university and on into working life.
Research gaps and the case for a national database
Professor Bruce Kirenga, Principal of Makerere University's College of Health Sciences, represented Vice Chancellor Professor Barnabas Nawangwe at the event. He stressed the need for research to establish how widespread dyslexia is in Uganda and what form it takes, and he called for closer cooperation between researchers, educators, families and government, according to allAfrica.com.
He also urged teachers and parents to make an effort to understand how individual learners and children differ, allAfrica.com reports.
Professor Fred Masagazi Masaazi, Director of the Makerere Institute of Teacher Education and Research, highlighted the value of collaboration between university leaders, educators and researchers in advancing awareness of dyslexia and inclusive education.
Dr Charles Kyasanku pointed to Makerere's contribution through teacher training, research and assessment as part of efforts to deepen understanding of dyslexia and support inclusive teaching.
Among the priorities organisers set out were stronger research partnerships, better institutional documentation of students with dyslexia, and a platform for building a national dyslexia database. They said these steps would help close gaps in local evidence and inform education services that respond more effectively to learners' needs.
The emphasis on a national database speaks to a recurring problem in the field: without reliable local data, it is difficult to know how many learners need support, where they are, or what kinds of services are missing. Organisers argued that better documentation at the institutional level would feed into that wider picture.
A consortium behind the annual event
The awareness initiative has been organised each year since 2023 by a consortium that includes the Special Needs Quality Assurance and Monitoring Initiative, Backup Uganda, the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda, Kyaninga Child Development Centre, Mukono Integrated Schools and Hill Preparatory School.
The organisers are asking for sustained collaboration among education institutions, government, civil society, families and the private sector. Their stated aim is to improve understanding of dyslexia and to build learning environments where individuals with the condition can develop their abilities and take part fully.
The initiative also draws attention to self-esteem, individual strengths and access to suitable learning resources — elements organisers say matter alongside formal assessment and classroom accommodation.
What to watch: whether the proposed research partnerships and national dyslexia database move from recommendations into funded work, and whether teacher training institutions formally adopt the assessment and identification practices discussed at the event.
