Schools defy government, increase fees

KAMPALA. The Education minister, Ms Janet Museveni, has asked parents to report schools which could have increased fees and are demanding scholastic materials despite government’s directive to stop the practice until further notice.
“This will work if parents take it up. If they can withdraw their children from these schools which have increased fees or report them to the ministry. As a ministry, we cannot know if parents continue to hold hands with schools increasing fees,” Ms Museveni told a press conference after releasing the 2017 Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) results in Kampala last week.

Mr Aggrey Kibenge, the ministry’s Undersecretary, said the directive stopping schools from increasing fees was sent early enough before they closed for end of year and warned that no school authorities should give any excuse when the new academic year opens on February 5.

“We issued the circular prohibiting schools from asking for requirements and increasing fees this year in good time. All relevant authorities will be deployed at the start of the term and measures will be taken case by case. Non-cash items are strictly prohibited. All these must be taken care of in the fees structure,” Mr Kibenge said.
He said inspectors will be expected to move around schools and submit periodic reports to the districts for primary schools while secondary ones will submit reports to the ministry for action against officers who will violate the directive.

For any school administrator who wishes to increase from last year’s fees structure or even ask for items like textbooks, toilet paper, books, cement, reams of paper, paint, they should first seek permission from the permanent secretary, Mr Alex Kakooza.
However, it has emerged that while the majority of schools claim they have not increased the fees, they have incorporated the items they have been demanding from parents into monetary value and added it on the tuition.

For instance, Makerere College School administration yesterday indicated that their parents had agreed to include the requirements in monetary form instead of bringing the items.
The administrator, who declined to be named in order to speak freely, also said the fees had been maintained at Shs1m but this was likely to go up when the money for requirements is added on. Day scholars at the school will have to part with Shs650,000.

“Our students have been bringing to the school things like reams of paper, paint and brushes. However, parents have since agreed to have these items factored into their school fees at the current market price,” the source said.
At Ntungamo High School, the fees stand at Shs680,000 to take care of uniform, library, laboratory contribution, papers, and identity cards charges, but this will drop to Shs474,000 in the subsequent terms according to the head teacher, Mr Wilson Byamukama.

King’s College Buddo head teacher Patrick Male Bakka has told some parents that accessing Senior One might require up to Shs1.5 million to cater for school fees and other requirements.
However, candidates that will join the school on special arrangement have to first pay Shs200,000 before they are served admission letters.
However, the authorities at St Mary’s College Kitende declined to reveal their fees structure, saying parents interested in taking their children to the school should physically visit to be briefed about the fees structure.

Head teachers speak out

“We have shied away from increasing fees because there is poverty. There was a long dry season and crop yields were poor,” Ms Oliva Nambi, the Busoga High School, Kamuli, head teacher said.
“There is no increase in fees except for a few school requirements under PTA arrangement. The problem is we are dealing with peasant parents who we are wooing to value and support education. So a slight increase may force the students to drop out and be forced to marry, especially for girls. Even the payment of the little charges are not forthcoming, so sometimes we rely on mobilising outside support from leaders and donors to supplement school resources,” Mr Samuel Wotakyala of St Andrews SS Naminage, Kamuli, said.
“We are subsiding the fees because of USE grant, but we are now at a crossroads as government is phasing it out in private schools,” Mr Charles Ngobi of Kamuli Progressive College, said.

Schools Fees (Boarding) Fees (Day)
Mt St Mary’s Namagunga Shs1.2m (with requirements)
St.Henry’s College,Kitovu Shs1m (with requirements)
Mengo SS Shs890,000
Nyakasura School Shs977,000(boys),Shs741,000(Girls)
Makerere College Shs 1.035m Shs650,000
Ntare School Shs940,000
Nabumali High School Shs850,000 (with uniform)
Mbarara High School Shs 1.1 m (with requirements)
Kennedy SS,Kakuku Shs1.3 (with requirements )
Kinaawa High School, Kawempe Campus Shs700,000 (with requirements) Shs450,000(with requirements)
St Kizito SS, Namugongo Shs1.01m(with requirements)
Masaka SS Shs991,500 (with requirements) Shs547,750(with requirements)
Archibishop Kiwanuka SS,Kitovu Shs829,500( with requirements) Shs435,000(with requirements
St. Augustine College, Wakiso Shs1.3m (with requirements Shs900,000(with requirements)
Schools Fees (Boarding) Fees (Day)
Tororo Girls School Shs950,000
Ssaku SS, Wobulenzi Shs950,000(with requirements)
Mbale Progressive School Shs360,000 Shs 285,000
Mbale SSS Shs 360,000 Shs285,000
St Mary’s College Ediofe Girls, Arua Shs 600,000
Muni Girls Secondary School, Arua Shs490,000
Bishop Asili SecSch Moyo Shs93,400 (USE) Shs144,000 (non USE)
St Noah Mawagali SSS, Buikwe Shs790,000 Shs290,000
Jinja  College Shs1.1 million
Allied  Teachers  SSS Jinja shs401,000/ Shs181,000
St mary’s high school Mbale Shs 500,000/ Shs 200,000
Mbale comprehesive school. Shs 497,000/ Shs 187,000
Ntungamo High School Shs 680,000 (with requirements)
Pope John Paul II Col Gulu Shs 814,000
Layibi High School Gulu Shs 250,000
Bishop Angelo Negrib College College Shs 499,000
Gulu Central High School Shs 702,000/ Shs477,000
Ngora High Shool Shs800000/
Teso College Aloet Shs800000 ( with requirements)
Kidetok Girls SS, Serere Shs 365,000.
Halycon High School, Shs 510,000
Ntungamo High School Shs 680000(with requirements)
Kyabenda Secondary School Shs 229,000(plus40kg of maize &16kg of beans)
(Day)Shs123,000(plus 20kg of maize &11kg of beans)
St Paul College, Mbale Shs 840,000 (with uniform)
Mpanga Senior Secondary School Shs146,000
St Mary’s Kitende Shs1.4m
Busoga High Shs550,000 Shs200,000
Mutuma College Shs 255, 000 Shs100,000
Agape SS Shs 480,000
Kaswabuli SSS Shs 420,000
Kangulumo SS Shs 400,000
St Andrews Naminage Shs 220,000 Shs70,000
Kamuli Progressive SSS Shs 340,000 Shs89,000
Namasagali College Shs 225,000
Busoga College, Mwiri Shs 1.19m
Kiira college Butiki Shs 1.18m
Seeta high Shs1.7m
St Lawrence Academy Shs650,000
St Lawrence Horizon Shs 1.1m
Kawempe Muslim 1.7m
St. Lawrence Creamland Campus Shs1.08m
St. Lawrence Crown City Campus Shs 1.08m
St. Lawrence Horizon Campus Shs 1.08m
St Lawrence London College Shs 1.08m
Kigezi High School Shs780,000
Bishop Kivengere Girls’ School, Muyebe Shs622,500
Hornby High School, Kabale Shs483,500
St Mary’s College Rushoroza        Shs800,000
Kings’ College, Buddo Shs1.5m
Bwera SS Shs 450,000 Shs 230,000
Central College, Kamuli Shs 260,000
Kidera Border SS Shs 240,000 Shs 75,000
Bulopa SS Border Shs 250,000 Shs 75,000
Masaba SSS Shs 760,000
Mandera SS Shs1.2m (with requirements)
Bukedi College, Shs410,000
Turkish Academy Shs 1.6m
Gombe SS Shs1.52m
Dokolo Technical Institute Shs320,000
Manjasi High school Shs460,000
Tororo Town College Shs950,000
Rock High School Shs380,000 Shs 270,000
Mt Masaba High School Shs400,000 Shs 200,000
Bugisu High School Shs400,000 Shs 200,000
Great Aurey Memorial School Shs350,000
Bubulo girls’ school Shs560,000
Bubulo SSS Shs190,000 Shs75,000
Hilltop SS, Hoima Shs750,000 Shs350,000
Matumu SS Shs 250,000 Shs 150,000
St Mary’s college, EdiofeGirls’ Shs 600,000
Ndejje SS, Luweero Shs1.3m (with requirements)
SDA SS, Luweero Shs750,000(fees only)

Reported by Emmanuel Ainebyoona, Damali Mukhaye, Robert Muhereza, Felix Warom Okello, Scovin Iceta, Fred Wabende, Denis Edema, Rajab Mukombozi, Cissy Makumbi, Fednand Tuhame, Patience Ahimbisibwe, David Mafabi, Opio Sam Caleb, Ronald Seebe, Al-mahadi Ssenkabirwa, Fred Muzaale & Malik Fahad Jingo.

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