The history of training technicians in the Engineering and Surveying in Uganda dates back to 1922 when a pioneering group of students were admitted to Makerere Technical College. Over time the Survey technicians’ course was transferred to Nakawa Vocational College in Kampala and to Survey Training School, Entebbe in 1944.

From 1996 onwards, the government of Uganda carried out the Public Service Reform Program whose objective was to improve efficiency and effectiveness within the Public Service. One of the key components of this is the restructuring and rationalization of all government functions while taking into consideration of the existing legislation and emerging Government policy. There after Government came up with a policy that transferred all teaching tertiary institutions from their respective sector ministries to the ministry of Education and sports by then.

The rational was to ensure effective coordination and consistence as government no longer trains personnel for public sector only, but rather for the wider market which is both local and international. The transfer process involved reviewing the operations and structures of transferred institutions. To that effect, the school was reopened 2006 and was streamlined into the Business, Technical, Vocational Education and Training (BTVET). It was decided to merge the Survey Training School and Physical Planning School formerly at the Department of Physical Planning in the ministry of Lands Housing and Urban Development Headquarters into Institute of Survey and Land Management (ISLM).