Senior one students report today amid school fees concerns

A list of what different schools are charging in fees published by Pulse Uganda last week put the average amount of money being charged at sh1,500,000. St Mary’s Kitende led the pack charging the most at sh3,300,000 followed by Uganda Martyrs Namugongo at sh3,155,000.

Esther Najjembe, a mother of two school-going children, told this reporter that the hiked school fees problem is one that can be solved if Government intervenes to create harmony in the education sector.

“We have a problem. Most schools have hiked school fees which is not affordable to most parents. Government should step in to create harmony in education sector,” she said.

Last year, Government of Uganda, through the Ministry of Education and Sports, drafted the School Fees Regulation Policy which is meant to regulate fees charged by all schools.

The policy sets the minimum and maximum school fees and requirements all schools should follow.

According to the proposed policy, Government capped fees for pre-primary schools at sh690,000 per term with day primary schools not to exceed sh650,000 in both fees and other charges, and boarding primary schools not to charge more than sh1.2m per term.

For secondary level, day scholars are to pay sh960,000 per term while the boarding section will pay sh1.6 million in fees and other charges.

Under the proposed policy, the education ministry also set the standard mechanisms for how fees will be determined or reviewed by a school.

Despite drafting the new School Fees Regulation Policy, Government is yet to decide on whether to implement the policy or not.

Some school executives have however cited the tough economic times as reason enough for most schools to hike school fees.

“Times are hard. Some of these schools have loans to service and the Government hasn’t done anything to help the schools. Inflation is too high so we have no option but to hike school fees,” a school executive who preferred anonymity told this reporter.