Govt asks for additional Shs300b to roll out compulsory free UPE

Education Minister Janet Museveni has said her ministry needs an additional Shs309.1b to start implementing the free and compulsory Universal Primary Education (UPE) programme.

She said the Cabinet has directed the ministry to start implementing the free and compulsory Universal Secondary Education (USE) and UPE, and they have taken a decision to start with the latter in the Financial Year 2024/2025.

“The reason why as a government we are focusing on free and compulsory UPE and USE is to give an affordable option to our people who cannot afford the fees in the private schools,” Ms Museveni said.
She said the move would help to offset school fees and other charges that are levied by schools, both private and public, especially at the start of the new academic year.

“So, the government shall start implementing free and compulsory UPE and USE in a phased manner, starting with UPE in the Financial Year 2024/2025. And for this, an additional Shs309.16 billion is required, on top of the Shs1.3 trillion that the government spent on UPE in the Financial Year 2022/2023” she added.

Ms Museveni said the ministry would hold discussions with the current 105 public secondary schools as well as the 109 public primary schools that are recipients of public funds but have not been implementing USE and UPE.
“Free Universal Education means that for items that the government is paying for, learners in UPE and USE beneficiary schools shall not be expected to be charged fees. One area that the government shall not be paying for is the cost of boarding and accommodation even if such a service is offered in a UPE or USE implementing school,” she said.

“Cabinet also went ahead to prescribe a list of 12 items, which are categorized as not allowed to be charged as part of school fees in pre-primary, primary, and secondary schools. And these should be formally communicated to all schools by the Ministry of Education and Sports,” Ms Museveni added.

Vocational education
Meanwhile, the minister also encouraged students to join different technical vocational education and training institutions across the country.
She also called for a forensic audit on the decreasing number of boys who complete Senior Four as compared to girls.
Ms Museveni said, “Much as we celebrate turning off the tide to keep girls in school, we must find a logical and reasonable explanation for the decline in the number of boys completing Primary Seven as well as Senior Four. Our society can only be holistically healthy when all boys and girls join the education system and complete the respective levels,” she said.