Father, daughter clash in front of Minister Barugahara over school fees

Drama unfolded on Thursday even as a Senior Five student confronted her father over his defence of high school fees during a rally convened by Local government minister Balaam Barugahara in Rukiga district.

Parvin Abaasa, a student at St Paul’s SS, took the microphone at the “Accountability and Expose the Corrupt” rally and said the school’s fees had strained her family’s finances.

Her father had earlier defended the head teacher, who justified the fees charged by the government-funded school.

A frustrated Abaasa called her father back to the podium and challenged his position as the crowd cheered. 

She questioned why he supported the charges when he earned little and the family struggled to pay.

In response, her father acknowledged the hardship but maintained that the school’s education standards justified the sacrifice.

“This is my daughter and what she is saying is true, but we as parents have to fight for a higher (education) standard for our children. I have to work hard even if raising the fees is a struggle, I still stand with the head teacher.”

Abaasa told Barugahara that her father worked as a local driver and had a medical condition affecting his feet. She said she would prefer to change schools rather than continue struggling to meet the costs.

“I have to beg for everything and I am tired. I would rather he take me to another school that he can afford. The truth is that school is expensive.”

Barugahara expressed dismay that the student had challenged fees her father appeared willing to accept. He urged the head teacher to consider poor families seeking quality education.

“I have told the head teacher to be fair to the poor parents who want quality education,” he said.

The minister also criticised a response he attributed to the area school inspector, who had suggested that parents could take their children elsewhere if they could not afford the fees.

Barugahara said the government spent Shs70 million on teachers’ salaries at the school. 

The confrontation ended with relief for Abaasa after Barugahara asked the head teacher to award her a scholarship. The head teacher agreed.