Government increases UPE funds

PARLIAMENT. Government has increased yearly funding to Universal Primary Education (UPE) from Shs7,000 to Shs10,000 per pupil with effect from July this year.
Education minister Jessica Alupo told Parliament Committee on Education that this money —the Capitation Grant— for all primary schools implementing UPE, is still little but promised to lobby for increased funding.
“This is just the beginning, more funds will be allocated to help us deal with the challenges in the sector,” Ms Alupo said yesterday.
On the question of delayed releases, Ms Alupo informed MPs that with effect from the third term of last year, the government took a decision to release funds to schools on a termly basis as opposed to quarterly basis. She said the old system had created a crisis in the sector. The minister asked schools to account for public funds.
Last year government slashed funding to schools under UPE in a wide-ranging budget cut, which the Education Committee described as adding “insult to the injury”.
The annual capitation contribution was cut to Shs6,800 at a time when a number of school heads and other stakeholders were asking government to increase its contribution for government supported students.
The minister, who was presenting the 2016/15 budget for the education sector, also told MPs that the proposed pay raise for teachers (10 per cent) has not been provided for in the next budget.
She also announced plans to establish three new public universities in Soroti, Lira and Kabale as part of the government efforts to reduce congestion in public universities and also bring education services nearer to the people.
The minister said Cabinet has now approved the autonomy of Makerere University Business School (Mubs) as “a degree awarding institution”. Mubs has been pushing for independence from Makerere University.
The minister released the standard national examination fees in response to MPs’ complaints that some schools levy very high fees: PLE (Shs24,000); UCE (Shs123,000) and UACE (Shs129000). She asked the Education permanent secretary to interdict any head teacher who overcharges parents. The MPs asked the ministry to release a circular on this matter.
In accordance with the President Museveni’s directive on private schools tax, Ms Alupo told the committee that the proposed tax was going to be reviewed next financial year.

University money

Education minister has announced that with effect from next financial year, government will support six private universities with Shs4b. Beneficiary institutions are: Bishop Stuart University, Kabale University, Mountains of the Moon, Ndejje University, Kumi University and Nkumba University.
The minister said there is no money (Shs100b) to implement the new lower secondary school curriculum.

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