This study examined the influence of school van scheduling on the academic performance of primary school
learners in Nansana Division, Wakiso District, Uganda. Specifically, the study assessed the relationship between
total commute duration, number of pick-up and drop-off stops, van capacity utilization, and learners’ academic
performance, as well as mechanisms for mitigating negative academic effects associated with prolonged school van
schedules. A mixed-methods cross-sectional research design was adopted, integrating quantitative and qualitative
approaches. The study was conducted in ten purposively selected private primary schools offering regular van
transport services. A total of 341 participants were involved, including learners (P1–P7), parents/guardians, teachers,
school administrators, van operators, and the Municipal Education Officer. Quantitative data were collected using
questionnaires and academic records, while qualitative data were obtained through interviews, focus group
discussions, and classroom observations. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive and group-level
inferential patterns in SPSS, while qualitative data were analyzed thematically. Findings from both strands were
triangulated to enhance validity. The findings revealed consistent group-level patterns indicating that long commute
durations, frequent pick-up and drop-off stops, and high van occupancy levels were associated with learner fatigue,
reduced alertness, diminished classroom engagement, and moderate academic performance. Overcrowding and
discomfort, particularly in high-use vehicles, further compromised learners’ cognitive readiness and participation.
Qualitative evidence highlighted stakeholder-proposed mitigation strategies, including route optimization, schedule
adjustments, capacity regulation, and strengthened collaboration between schools, parents, and authorities. The
study concludes that school van schedules are significant determinants of academic performance among primary
school learners. It recommends learner-centered transport scheduling, enforcement of capacity guidelines, and
policy-driven regulation of school transport systems to enhance academic outcomes.

Agricultural productivity in sub-Saharan Africa has remained persistently low, with smallholder farmers continuing
to grapple with limited access to productive resources, weak institutional support, and inadequate management
practices. In Uganda, agriculture remained the backbone of the economy, employing the majority of the rural
population, yet productivity levels continued to lag behind regional and global benchmarks. In Mitooma District,
southwestern Uganda, farmers engaged in the production of coffee, beans, maize, and bananas faced compounding
challenges related to how land, labor, capital, and technology were managed at both farm and cooperative levels. This
study examined the relationship between strategic resource management and agricultural productivity in Mitooma
District. The study adopted a cross-sectional survey design, integrating quantitative and qualitative methods. A sample
of 135 respondents comprising farmers, cooperative officials, and agricultural extension workers was selected through
stratified random sampling. Structured questionnaires and key informant interviews were used to collect data. Pearson
correlation and multiple linear regression were applied to analyze the relationship between strategic resource
management and agricultural productivity. The findings revealed a strong positive and statistically significant
relationship between strategic resource management and agricultural productivity (r = 0.761, p < 0.05). Land resource
management (β = 0.438), labor resource management (β = 0.401), and financial resource management (β = 0.463)
were each significant predictors of productivity. Farmers and cooperatives that managed their resources strategically
recorded higher crop yields, better input utilization efficiency, and improved household incomes. Strategic resource
management was a significant determinant of agricultural productivity in Mitooma District. Farmers and cooperative
organizations that adopted structured approaches to managing land, labor, and finances consistently achieved better
productivity outcomes than those operating without deliberate resource management frameworks. District local
government, agricultural extension services, and cooperative leadership should invest in capacity building around
strategic resource management, focusing on land use planning, labor organization, financial literacy, and technology
adoption to drive sustainable agricultural productivity.

The study examined the impact of taxation on the financial performance of small-scale enterprises (SSEs) in Kanungu
District, Uganda. The research was anchored on the Allingham and Sandmo Theory (1972), which posits that taxpayers are rational actors who weigh the risks and benefits of tax compliance. The theory was applied to understand how factors such as the probability of detection, severity of penalties, complexity of tax procedures, and taxpayer awareness influence compliance behavior and, consequently, the financial outcomes of SSEs. The study investigated three key dimensions of taxation: taxation awareness and knowledge, tax rates, and tax administration criteria, and their effects on financial performance indicators such as profitability, liquidity, and revenue growth. A descriptive survey research design was employed, utilizing both quantitative and qualitative data collection methods. The target population consisted of 265 SSEs in Kanungu District, from which a sample of 160 respondents was drawn using stratified and simple random sampling techniques. Primary data were collected through structured questionnaires and interviews, while secondary data were sourced from relevant academic and institutional publications. Data analysis involved descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression, performed using SPSS, to determine relationships and predictive influences among the variables. The results revealed significant positive relationships between taxation and financial performance. Specifically, taxation awareness and knowledge had a strong positive effect (R = 0.766, p < 0.001), explaining 58.7% of the variance in financial performance. Tax rates showed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.774, p < 0.001), indicating that fair and predictable rates enhanced financial outcomes. Tax administration criteria were the strongest predictor (R = 0.792, p < 0.001), accounting for 62.8% of the variance, with efficient and transparent administration significantly boosting financial performance. Qualitative insights underscored that improved tax knowledge, reasonable tax rates, and streamlined administration reduced compliance costs, enhanced planning, and fostered business growth. The study concluded that taxation awareness, equitable tax rates, and efficient tax administration are critical determinants of the financial performance of SSEs in Kanungu District. Informed taxpayers are better equipped to comply, plan, and invest, while fair and stable tax rates create a conducive environment for sustainability. Effective administration reduces bureaucratic burdens and builds
trust, further enhancing financial outcomes. Based on the findings, the study recommends enhanced taxpayer education programs to improve awareness and knowledge among SSE owners; the establishment of fair, predictable, and consultative tax rate policies to support business planning and growth; the streamlining and digitizing of tax administration processes to improve accessibility, transparency, and efficiency; and the implementation of sectorspecific interventions to address unique challenges faced by SSEs in agriculture, transport, manufacturing, and telecommunications.

The rapid digitalization of the transport industry necessitated the adoption of online booking systems to remain
competitive and meet evolving customer expectations. This study examined the benefits and challenges associated
with implementing an online bus booking system, focusing on how such technological interventions affected business
operations, customer service delivery, and organizational sustainability. The research addressed the critical need for
empirical evidence to guide transport companies in making informed technology investment decisions. The study
employed a case study research design with mixed-methods approach. Data were collected from 180 participants
including 120 customers, 45 company employees, and 15 management staff across three bus companies that had
implemented online booking systems within the previous two years. Research instruments included structured
questionnaires, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and analysis of company performance records.
Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and comparative analysis, while qualitative data were
thematically coded to identify patterns in benefits and challenges experienced during implementation. The findings
revealed substantial benefits including improved revenue collection efficiency (increase of 34%), enhanced customer
convenience (satisfaction score of 4.1/5.0), reduced operational costs (decrease of 28%), and expanded market reach
(new customer acquisition increased by 45%). However, significant challenges emerged including high initial
implementation costs (average UGX 85 million), technical infrastructure limitations (affecting 42% of operations),
staff resistance to change (35% of employees), cybersecurity concerns (reported by 58% of management), and
customer adaptation difficulties (31% of traditional customers). The benefit-challenge ratio suggested overall positive
outcomes despite substantial implementation hurdles. Online bus booking systems offered significant strategic
advantages for transport companies but required careful planning, adequate resource allocation, and comprehensive
change management to overcome implementation challenges. Success depended on balancing technological
capabilities with organizational readiness and customer needs. The study recommended phased implementation
approaches, substantial investment in technical infrastructure and staff training, development of hybrid booking
systems accommodating diverse customer preferences, robust cybersecurity measures, and continuous system
evaluation and improvement based on stakeholder feedback.

The study examined the contribution of parental involvement and support in pupils' learning activities to
the improvement of academic performance in government primary schools in Buyinja Sub-county. Parental
involvement was measured through homework support, provision of learning materials, and school
participation. A cross-sectional survey design was adopted, and data were collected from 473 respondents
comprising pupils, parents, and teachers. Structured questionnaires and interview guides served as data
collection instruments. Results revealed a statistically significant positive relationship between parental
involvement indicators and pupils' academic performance. Pupils whose parents actively supported their
learning at home and participated in school activities consistently attained higher academic grades. The
study concluded that parental involvement was a strong and consistent contributor to improved academic
performance in government primary schools in Buyinja Sub-county. It was recommended that schools and
local governments establish structured parental engagement frameworks to systematically harness the
academic benefits of parental involvement.

Gender-based violence (GBV) against primary school girls represented a pervasive human rights violation and public
health crisis undermining educational access, learning outcomes, physical health, and psychological well-being across
Uganda. Despite constitutional guarantees of children's rights and government commitments to eliminating genderbased violence, girls in primary schools continued experiencing multiple forms of violence including sexual
harassment, physical punishment, verbal abuse, early forced marriage, and sexual assault both within school premises
and surrounding communities. Namayingo Town Council in Namayingo District, located along Uganda's border with
Tanzania in the eastern region, faced particularly acute GBV challenges due to cultural practices condoning early
marriage, poverty driving transactional relationships, fishing community dynamics facilitating exploitation, and
limited protective infrastructure. Various stakeholders including government agencies, non-governmental
organizations, schools, and community groups implemented interventions aimed at preventing and responding to GBV
against girls. However, the effectiveness of these interventions remained inadequately documented, limiting evidencebased programming and resource allocation. This study investigated school-based interventions (safe spaces, life skills
education, reporting mechanisms, teacher training, guidance and counseling) and community-based interventions
(awareness campaigns, community dialogues, economic empowerment, local council engagement, traditional leader
mobilization) to determine their effectiveness in preventing and responding to gender-based violence against primary
school girls. The study employed a descriptive cross-sectional survey design with mixed methods approaches. The
target population comprised 2,840 primary school girls in Primary 5-7, 180 teachers, 45 Parent-Teacher Association
members, 12 Local Council leaders, and 8 NGO representatives in Namayingo Town Council. Using purposive and
simple random sampling, 150 respondents were selected including 90 girls (Primary 5-7 students), 35 teachers, 15
PTA members, 6 Local Council leaders, and 4 NGO staff. Data collection employed semi-structured questionnaires
for girls and teachers, key informant interview guides for stakeholders, focus group discussions with girls and parents,
and document review of GBV incident records. The girls' questionnaire assessed GBV experiences, awareness of
interventions, perceived effectiveness, utilization of services, and safety perceptions. Quantitative data were analyzed
using SPSS version 26 generating frequencies, percentages, means, and cross-tabulations. Qualitative data were
thematically analyzed identifying patterns in intervention effectiveness, implementation challenges, and protective
factors. Ethical protocols included parental consent for minors, child-friendly research methods, psychological support
referrals, and confidentiality protections. The study revealed high GBV prevalence with 67.8% of girls reporting
experiencing at least one form of gender-based violence in the past year. Sexual harassment was most prevalent
(43.3%), followed by physical punishment (38.9%), verbal abuse (36.7%), and unwanted touching (27.8%). School-
based interventions showed moderate effectiveness overall (M=3.18, SD=0.84), with safe spaces (M=3.62, SD=0.78)
and guidance counseling (M=3.45, SD=0.81) rated most effective, while reporting mechanisms (M=2.76, SD=0.94)
showed limited effectiveness due to fear of retaliation and lack of confidentiality. Community-based interventions
demonstrated similar moderate effectiveness (M=3.24, SD=0.79), with awareness campaigns (M=3.58, SD=0.76) and
community dialogues (M=3.41, SD=0.83) receiving higher ratings than economic empowerment programs (M=2.84,
SD=0.96) which reached limited beneficiaries. Girls who accessed both school and community interventions reported
significantly lower victimization rates (32.4%) compared to those without intervention access (78.6%), suggesting
combined approaches were most protective. However, implementation gaps included inadequate funding (cited by
82.9% of implementers), insufficient trained personnel (74.3%), cultural resistance (68.6%), and weak referral systems
(71.4%). School- and community-based interventions demonstrated moderate effectiveness in preventing and
responding to GBV against primary school girls in Namayingo Town Council, with potential for substantially greater
impact if implementation challenges were addressed. Interventions providing safe spaces, education, awarenessraising, and supportive services showed promise, but effectiveness was constrained by resource limitations, inadequate
coordination, cultural barriers, weak accountability mechanisms, and systemic gaps in protection systems. The most
effective approaches combined multiple interventions across school and community settings, addressed both
immediate protection and underlying risk factors, engaged multiple stakeholders including girls themselves, and
maintained sustained rather than sporadic implementation. However, even the most effective interventions reached
limited beneficiaries, leaving many girls unprotected. The study recommended that Namayingo District Local
Government should establish a Multi-Sectoral GBV Prevention and Response Task Force coordinating stakeholder
efforts; allocate dedicated budgets for GBV interventions with minimum 5% of education budgets supporting
prevention programs; mandate comprehensive sexuality education and life skills training in all primary schools;
establish functional GBV reporting and referral systems with trained focal persons in every school; strengthen
economic empowerment programs targeting vulnerable families; enforce legal frameworks through prosecution of
perpetrators; engage traditional and religious leaders as GBV prevention champions; and implement community
accountability mechanisms monitoring intervention effectiveness and survivor support.

Effective leadership emerged as a critical determinant of employee performance and organizational effectiveness in
public sector institutions globally. In Uganda's local government system, leadership styles significantly influenced
service delivery outcomes, employee motivation, and institutional capacity. Mbale Local Government operated within
a complex governance framework requiring adaptive leadership approaches balancing hierarchical accountability,
participatory governance, and performance orientation. This study examined the influence of leadership styles on
employee performance in Mbale Local Government using a cross-sectional survey design with mixed-methods
approach. The research targeted 162 respondents comprising district leaders, departmental heads, supervisors, and
frontline employees. Data was collected through structured questionnaires and in-depth interviews, achieving a 93%
response rate. Analysis employed descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression techniques. The
study revealed that leadership styles significantly influenced employee performance (R² = 0.754, F = 51.24, p < 0.001).
Transformational leadership (β = 0.438, p < 0.01), participative leadership (β = 0.392, p < 0.01), supportive leadership
(β = 0.347, p < 0.01), and achievement-oriented leadership (β = 0.289, p < 0.05) significantly predicted employee
performance. Findings indicated that employees under transformational leaders achieved 72% performance target
realization compared to 43% under autocratic leaders. Departments with participative leadership demonstrated 58%
higher employee satisfaction and 46% improved innovation. Leadership quality scored 3.24/5.0 overall, with
transformational leadership at 3.41, participative leadership at 3.28, but autocratic tendencies persisting at 3.67,
indicating mixed leadership practices. Leadership styles significantly influenced employee performance through
motivation mechanisms, empowerment practices, supportive environments, and performance expectations.
Transformational and participative leadership enhanced performance, while autocratic and laissez-faire approaches
constrained employee effectiveness and organizational outcomes. Mbale Local Government should implement
leadership development programs emphasizing transformational and participative styles, establish leadership
competency frameworks, strengthen performance-oriented leadership practices, create feedback mechanisms, invest
in continuous leadership training, and institutionalize democratic leadership cultures aligned with public service
values.

Local governments in Uganda faced persistent challenges in service delivery effectiveness, with organizational
structure emerging as a critical determinant of employee performance and institutional capacity. Mbale Local
Government operated within a complex structural framework balancing administrative hierarchy, departmental
specialization, and decentralized service delivery mandates.
This study examined the relationship between organizational structure and employee performance in Mbale Local
Government using a cross-sectional survey design. The research targeted 156 respondents comprising district officials,
departmental heads, technical staff, and administrative employees. Data was collected through structured
questionnaires and key informant interviews, achieving a 94% response rate. Analysis employed descriptive statistics,
Pearson correlation, and multiple regression techniques. The study revealed a significant positive relationship between
organizational structure and employee performance (R² = 0.716, F = 44.78, p < 0.001). Hierarchical structure clarity
(β = 0.412, p < 0.01), departmental specialization (β = 0.376, p < 0.01), coordination mechanisms (β = 0.329, p <
0.01), and span of control (β = 0.267, p < 0.05) significantly predicted employee performance. Findings indicated that
64% of employees with clear reporting lines achieved performance targets compared to 38% with ambiguous
structures. Departments with optimal spans of control (1:8 ratio) demonstrated 47% higher productivity than those
with excessive spans (1:15+ ratio). Communication effectiveness scored 3.12/5.0, while role clarity achieved only
2.87/5.0, indicating structural ambiguities affecting performance. Organizational structure significantly influenced
employee performance through role clarity, coordination efficiency, communication effectiveness, and accountability
mechanisms. Structural deficiencies including role ambiguity, excessive hierarchical layers, poor coordination, and
inappropriate spans of control constrained performance outcomes. Mbale Local Government should undertake
comprehensive organizational restructuring, clarify roles and reporting relationships, optimize spans of control,
strengthen coordination mechanisms, implement performance management systems aligned with structure, and invest
in change management supporting structural improvements.

This study analysed the relationship between sports participation and students’ academic performance in
selected secondary schools in Mukono District, Uganda. It was founded on Dewey’s theory of Experiential
Learning. The investigation adopted a mixed-methods approach that combined correlational design with
qualitative inquiry. Data were gathered from 264 respondents who were students and school stakeholders
using structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. Quantitative findings indicated a strong
positive correlation (r = .691, p < .001) between sports participation and academic outcomes with the
Regression analysis further indicating that sports participation accounted for 47.7% of the variance in
students’ academic performance (R² = .477). Qualitative results highlighted that sports foster discipline,
teamwork, and concentration, which are essential for academic success. The study concludes that structured
sports programs significantly bolster academic achievement and recommends that school administrators to
prioritize the provision of standard sports facilities and integrate physical activities more effectively into
the curriculum.

The study examined the utilization of the Electronic Fiscal Receipting and Invoicing Solution (EFRIS) and its effects
on the financial performance and operational efficiency of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kampala,
Uganda. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 320 SMEs across the five divisions of Kampala, collecting
data on EFRIS awareness, adoption, and usage, as well as indicators of financial performance and operational
efficiency. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and regression analyses were employed to analyze the data. The findings
revealed that SMEs with higher levels of EFRIS utilization demonstrated improved financial control, more accurate
reporting, reduced record-keeping errors, and faster transaction processing, streamlined workflows, and reduced
operational errors. Regression results further confirmed that EFRIS utilization significantly predicted both financial
performance and operational efficiency. The study concludes that EFRIS functions not only as a tax compliance tool
but also as a performance-enhancing system that supports SME growth and sustainability. Based on the findings, the
study recommends strengthening user training, improving system integration and reliability, and promoting full
adoption of EFRIS among SMEs to maximize its benefits.