Governmet moves to curb fees hike in schools

Kampala- The Ministry of Education and Sports has set up a committee to study fees structures in both government and private schools.
The committee will make recommendations to guide the government on regulating charges in the learning institutions across the country.

Mr Robinson Nsumba-Lyazi, the director of Basic Education, said in an interview yesterday that they have been receiving many complaints from stakeholders that schools are overcharging them, forcing the ministry to establish a committee to look at school needs and guide the ministry on how to control school fees.

“There is a committee on fees chaired by Gulu University Vice Chancellor Prof Frederick Kayanja. It is looking at the fees from different schools and it will give recommendations and work out implementation guidelines. That is what we are waiting for. I think fees should be controlled so that schools focus on priorities,” Mr Lyazi said.

“Schools have tendencies of looking at many projects. They then stress parents to contribute money to implement them. Some schools want to buy buses. They want to construct swimming pools and laboratories at ago. Schools can’t be built in a day. It is a process,” he said.
According to Mr Lyazi, they have received many complaints from parents. He advised head teachers to control their scope of work.

Prof Kayanja was restrained in his response when contacted yesterday. “I am a soldier. Discipline is key. I don’t want to comment on the report,” Prof Kayanja told Daily Monitor yesterday.
But Mr Patrick Kaboyo, the Federation of non-state Education Institutions general secretary, has questioned the composition of the committee.

While he appreciated the fact that government needs to control the fees charged in education institutions, Mr Kaboyo said the ministry should have considered including stakeholders from the private sector on the committee for balance in order to have a feel of what proprietors go through in running these institutions.
“Membership of that committee is purely from the Ministry of Education. They have kept it internal. We should be seeing representation from all sides. The concerns are global and we should have regulations on fees. To determine this threshold, it should be scientifically supported. Where is the fees highest? Is it at primary, nursery or secondary?” Mr Kaboyo wondered.
In February, the minister of Education, Ms Janet Museveni, directed all schools to submit to the ministry their budgets for the last three years. The schools were also tasked to seek permission from the ministry’s permanent secretary before increasing fees.

“There has been rising public outcry against the increasing number of schools which continue to levy unrealistic and prohibitive fees thereby denying access to secondary education to a number of students whose parents are unable to afford the exorbitant fees. This compromises government’s objective of providing affordable education for all,” Ms Museveni said then.
The prestigious traditional schools where most well-to-do most parents prefer to take their children charge not less than Shs900,000 per term even before considering costs of other school requirements.

For example, parents who sought admission to Uganda Martyrs’ Secondary School Namugongo this year parted with Shs1.1m in tuition alone and development fee of Shs450,000.
In addition to these expenditure, every parent was also required to buy school uniform at Shs450,000 besides a dictionary, mathematical set, mattress, jerrycan, toilet and washing soap, slippers, sandals, night dress and a gown.

FEES STRUCTURE FOR SELECTED SCHOOLS (SHS)
School 2017 2016
St Mary’s Namagunga 1,700,000
Mary’s College Kisubi 1,900,000
Gayaza High school 1,520,000 1,230,000
Kibuli SS 1,400,000
Makerere College 1,200,000
Ndege SS 1,530,000 1,000,000
Bweranyangi 1,000,000
Trinity College Nabbingo 940,000
MaryHill HS 916,000
Ntare School 940,000
Mengo SS 810,000
St Henry, Kitovu 1,000,000 900,000
Tororo Girls’ school 900,000 792,000
Iganga SS 800,000 730,000
St Peters’ SS , Nsambya 900,000 780,000
Teso College, Aloet, 976,000 770,000
Iganga high 570,000 420,000
Mbale SS 410,000 410,000
Nabumali high school 797,000 810,000
Manjasi high school 500,000 470,000
St Paul’s College, Mbale 584,000 584,000
Masaba SS 460,000 400,000
Ediofe Girls SS 680,000 510,000
Mvara SS 670,000 486,000
Muni girls SS 770,000 642,000
Kyambogo college 350,000 262,000
Jinja SS 350,000 250,000
Christ the King SS 420,000 400,000
Dzaipi SS 215,000 157,000
Bukedea Lifelive SS 554,000 370,000
Usuk SS 215,000 161,000
Wanale View SS 430,000 340,000
Comprehensive SS, Mbale 450,000 340,000
Manafwa high school 350,000 300,000
Amanang SS [Bukwo] 192,000 110,000
University Link 370,000 310,000
Rubona SS 129,000 95,000

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