Uganda's Ticking Time Bomb

Uganda has one of the world’s fastest-growing populations. In 2012, 78 percent of Ugandans were under 30 years old; 52 percent were 15 or under. But the country counts few quality schools. Low salaries result in high rates of teacher absenteeism: The World Bank reported in 2013 that 40 percent of public classrooms had no teacher. And dropout rates are high. Without an adequate education, many Ugandans have no path to dignified work, and youth unemployment is pervasive. In these conditions, rebel groups become appealing. And though the L.R.A. is fading, the risk of recruitment remains real. A group called the Allied Democratic Forces has attracted young people in the country’s west and east; reports have surfaced of a network in the Democratic Republic of Congo that recruits unemployed Ugandan youth on the false promise of high-paying jobs. Terrorist organizations like the Shabab are also on the rise in East Africa.