Many schools have increased fees
A section of MPs have tasked Government to issue a directive barring schools from implementing the increased fees structure until the economy recovers from damage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, warning that if this isn’t done, it will increase the dropout rates in schools.
The plea was made by Solomon Silwany (Bukooli Central) who argued that as schools were closing the second term two weeks ago, about 80% of the schools he interacted with including government aided schools had increased fees by more than 50% citing fuel price increase and increase in commodity prices.
He added that when the matter was first raised in Parliament, the Ministry of Education directed schools to halt any kind of increment starting with government and trickling down to private schools, but it looks like the directive has been ignored by owners of schools.
“What are our parents going to do because they haven’t been doing any business, you know after Covid people were stuck, prices of commodities were high; parents are grappling looking for fees, but they are stuck. Wouldn’t the Prime Minister direct these schools to maintain the school fees until the economy stablises?” asked Silwany.
Chief Government Whip, Hamson Obua revealed that currently, the Ministry of Education and Sports is preparing the statutory instrument on matters of school fees because the Minister is empowered under the Education Act to come up with that statutory instrument on school fees policy.
“Under the law, subject to confirmation, school fees are supposed to be increased with the approval of the Ministry of Education and Sports. That implies that any school increasing school fees without the approval in terms of the cost drivers, you are supposed to present the cost drivers to justify the increment, including private schools because the law doesn’t only work on government schools, it applies to all of us,” said Obua.
According to the Ministry of Education, the draft Statutory has been sent to the Solicitor General for perusal.
