This article critically reflects upon the "divides" among actors within two currently popular education policies in low-income countries: decentralisation and Universal Primary Education (UPE). Current literatures suggest that the existing decentralisation framework tends to overlook the "divides" among actors that often impede the implementation of educational decentralisation. Furthermore, in East Africa, UPE policy characterised by centralised political power coexists with decentralisation policy: here, central control is strengthened while the notion of increased local control under decentralisation is becoming blurred. In this context, it is essential to enhance participation and accountability in school governance in order to recover client power. (Contains 11 notes and 2 figures.)