Uganda National Journalism Awards 2015 – Explanatory reporting finalists

Honourable mention – $8bn railway mess by Haggai Matsiko, The Independent

Runner-up – 17 years of Universal Primary Education by Conan Businge, Caroline Ariba, Stephen Ssenkaaba, Jonathan Angura & Angel Musinguzi – New Vision (Three-part story series)

**Winner – Sh7,000 per pupil is more than enough, say private schools by Andrew Masinde, New Vision

In 2010, Mr Masinde was recruited as an office messenger at New Vision. Not content with this assignment and curious about the reporters whom he served, Masinde started asking questions about journalism and offering story ideas that concerned the people with whom he lived and worked every day.

One day, while on holiday in Kaliro, he was shocked to see students of Kaliro National Teachers College studying in seriously dilapidated buildings with few resources to aid their learning. He reported his findings to his editor, who saw his passion for the students and encouraged him to try his hand at writing an article on the matter. That was the start of a burgeoning career.

Mr Masinde’s winning story set out to explain the rationale behind government’s decision to lower the capitation grants for schools under the Universal Primary Education programme. By investigating the story through the lens of private school management, the reporter was able to test well-worn arguments about the underfunding of public schools and to explore government’s financial policy on primary education.