This paper presents a grounded theory on the perceptions of the policymakers on Uganda's progressive educational approach to refugee educational outcomes. The study was conducted in Uganda and the population for this study included the Parliamentary Committee on Education, the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES) - policy desks, key staff from the development sector (UNICEF, and Finn Church Aid (FCA). Qualitative methods were employed and grounded theory was developed broadly under four categories: perception of driving factors, inclusivity, appropriateness of framework, and challenges hindering quality education for conflict-affected children.  Sub-categories were also generated grounded in the data. The findings show that policymakers' perceptions of the suitability of a progressive education approach for refugee secondary education outcomes vary significantly. Some saw the framework as adequate for integrating refugee children into the national education system. In contrast, others criticized it, claiming that it is insufficient to meet the needs of refugee students in secondary school due to limited resources, overcrowded classrooms, and insufficient teacher training to handle refugee children. The study also indicates that interventions aimed at improving infrastructure, teacher training, resource mobilization, and community engagement contribute to creating a more inclusive and equitable education system for all children, including refugees. The findings of the study are expected to provide valuable insights into the effectiveness of Uganda's progressive approach to refugee education and to inform future policy and programming decisions in Uganda and other countries hosting refugees.  Additionally, the study is expected to contribute to the larger body of knowledge in Political Economy Analysis (PEA) of education that hopes to help national, regional, and global level policymakers make socially just decisions about investments in education particularly in the areas of policy, programming, and research in Uganda, Sub- Sahara Africa, and beyond.

Keywords: Refugee education, Policymakers, progressive education, Uganda, grounded theory