New Vision Admin 
Deputy Speaker of Parliament and Ruhinda North MP, Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, has expressed skepticism over a recent Daily Monitor report claiming that Uganda loses at least 31,000 students from schools every single day.
Tayebwa, citing the report on X (formerly Twitter), said the figures appear implausible when weighed against official enrollment data.
“Fascinating numbers @DailyMonitor. If this were true, it would mean 11.4 million children dropping out, yet total enrollment stands at just 9.5 million!” he tweeted, pointing out the glaring inconsistency.
The Ministry of Education and Sports reports that Uganda currently has approximately 9.5 million primary school learners and just over 2 million in secondary education. Tayebwa noted that claiming 31,000 pupils leave school daily would suggest more children are dropping out than are actually enrolled — an obvious impossibility.
This is not the first time the Daily Monitor has faced scrutiny over its reporting. Government officials have on several occasions accused the media house of exaggerating figures and publishing misleading stories.
Earlier this year, Parliament suspended Nation Media Group, the parent company of the Daily Monitor, from covering parliamentary proceedings, citing biased and inaccurate coverage.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has also previously ordered certain government departments to limit the outlet’s access, accusing it of misrepresenting facts and obstructing national development.
Tayebwa’s remarks add to ongoing concerns among officials about the reliability of some reports from the media house.
Critics warn that inflated or inaccurate statistics can mislead the public, particularly on sensitive matters such as education.
The episode highlights the broader tension in Uganda between media freedom and the need for factual, responsible reporting, with authorities stressing that public discourse should be guided by verified data.
