Kampala — President Yoweri Museveni has appointed Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo as Acting Minister of Education and Sports.
The appointment, which takes immediate effect, was announced on Thursday in a communication from the Presidential Press Unit (PPU).
Dr. Muyingo, who has served as State Minister for Higher Education since 2011, will oversee the ministry during the absence of the substantive minister, Janet Museveni, who has been away from office due to ill health.
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The Ministry of Education and Sports has effectively operated without a substantive political head since the start of the current government term. Although Janet Museveni was reappointed Minister of Education and Sports, she neither appeared before Parliament's Appointments Committee for vetting nor took the oath of office because of her health condition.
Janet Museveni has served as Minister of Education and Sports since 2016, overseeing key reforms, including curriculum reviews, the expansion of Universal Secondary Education, and the implementation of competency-based learning.
Her health challenges reportedly became more pronounced during the previous term, leading to the gradual delegation of several ministerial responsibilities to Dr. Muyingo.
Towards the end of that term, official ministry communications frequently referred to him as "Minister of State for Higher Education, also holding the portfolio of the Minister of Education and Sports," reflecting his expanded administrative role.
Dr. Muyingo's appointment comes days after President Museveni publicly disclosed that the First Lady fell seriously ill on March 21, 2026, but is steadily recovering.
Her prolonged absence from several major public events, including the President's swearing-in ceremony at Kololo Independence Grounds, had fueled widespread public concern and speculation about her health.
During the inauguration ceremony, the Dean of the Province of the Church of Uganda and Bishop of Ankole Diocese, Rt. Rev. Sheldon Mwesigwa publicly thanked God for Janet Museveni's recovery, drawing applause from thousands of attendees.
Education experts have welcomed the appointment, saying the ministry requires active political leadership because several statutory functions cannot be performed without ministerial approval.
Dr. Badru Musisi, a senior lecturer at Makerere University, described the Education Ministry as one of Uganda's most critical public institutions and said leaving the office without a minister for an extended period risked delaying important policy decisions and implementation.
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Under the Education (Pre-Primary, Primary and Post-Primary) Act, 2008, and other education laws, the minister is responsible for making policy decisions, issuing statutory instruments, approving regulations, appointing Boards of Governors, and authorising major sector decisions.
Although the Permanent Secretary and technical staff continue to manage the ministry's day-to-day operations, many legal and administrative functions require the approval and signature of a minister.
In the absence of either a substantive or acting minister, decisions relating to school board appointments, policy directives, curriculum regulations, infrastructure projects, sector partnerships, and other strategic matters can be delayed.
Dr. Musisi said Dr. Muyingo's appointment provides continuity because of his extensive experience in the education sector and his familiarity with the ministry's operations.
A teacher by profession and seasoned politician, Dr. Muyingo has played a central role in shaping education policy over the past 15 years.
He has been closely involved in university governance, technical and vocational education, and the implementation of major education reforms.
Dr. Muyingo is not the only acting minister recently appointed by President Museveni.
Earlier this week, the President appointed Haruna Kasolo Kyeyune as Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs following Parliament's Appointments Committee's rejection of Adonia Ayebare's nomination over concerns regarding dual citizenship.
