School asks parents to pay Shs1,000 per day 

BY                                               & STEVEN OTAGE                                   
KAMPALA.   A section of school proprietors in Kampala and Luweero have devised new fees payment schedules that will see parents pay  as low as Shs1,000 per day. 
Core to the new school fees payment plan, is the need to cater for parents who are unable to pay fees at once given the current economic hardships caused by Covid-19 pandemic.
In Luweero District, the proprietor of Everest Primary School and Everest College, Mr Ronald Ndaula,  said all schools would prefer full school fees payment on the first day when the learners report to school but many parents are  financially constrained.

“No school proprietor would be happy to receive the school fees in bits at a time when the parents and the entire economy are struggling,” Mr Ndaula said yesterday.  “At Everest schools, we negotiated with the parents to try  and find the most flexible means where they can pay school fees. This is a piloted option where we are trying to help the parents. The fees payments on a daily basis will not be a surprise once the parents agree,” he explained
Mr David Ssentongo, one of the proprietors of Grace Intel Schools located in Buziga, near Kampala, said the school directors fronted the idea out of empathy for the parents.

“It is true that you possibly came across our flier indicating that the parents can opt for a daily school fees payment scheme that will be optional. Our parents are not at the same level in an economy that is struggling. We are in consultation with the Ministry of Education to see how this plan can be rolled out,” Mr Ssentongo explained.
But the Education ministry spokesperson, Mr Dennis Mugimba, said the ministry was yet to be notified about the daily school fees payment plan.
“The ministry does not prescribe how much is paid as school fees for any school but the fees payment plan should be done in consultation with the parents,” he said.

“The option should be undertaken in consultation with the district education office and the chief administrative officers for the lower sections while the secondary schools will have to seek guidance of the Ministry of Education permanent secretary,” he added.