For some parents, the second term will start in one week's time with the added pain of paying extra for tuition. However, as MOSES TALEMWA reports, there is the added threat of action for the affected schools from the education ministry.
The education ministry is preparing to launch punitive action against schools that raised their tuition fees for the second term, without first notifying the permanent secretary.
According to the ministry spokesperson, Patrick Muinda, the sector is determined to take action.
“The permanent secretary was very clear on the matter, when he issued a circular to all schools in January. No school is to raise fees without first satisfying the sector about the need to do so,” Muinda said.
He explained that the statement issued by the permanent secretary, Alex Kakooza, in January following an outcry from parents, had not been reversed.
The call follows concerns by several parents whose schools had seen fees increased on the grounds that there was a rise in the cost of living. Under pressure from parents in January, Kakooza re-issued a circular to schools, first presented by his predecessor, Dr Rose Nassali-Lukwago, two years earlier. Following its re-issue, Kakooza vowed to take action against schools defying his directive on tuition fees.
In an interview with The Observer last Friday, Muinda said the ministry had already received calls from parents on the matter and would act accordingly, once all information was in.
“We are studying whether the schools consulted the permanent secretary,” he said. “There is no doubt that there will be action against the schools defying the directive, as the permanent secretary promised.”
However, Muinda would not be pushed into disclosing what the action would be. In the January interview, Kakooza indicated that there was a range of actions open to him, ranging from writing cautionary letters to the affected schools to suspending their licenses, if it was deemed necessary.
The Observer is still compiling a list of schools that increased their tuition, however, several parents have raised concern about Sir Apollo Kaggwa PS, City Parents PS, Taibah Junior School and Light Academy SS, which raised their fees for the second term, by margins of between Shs 100,000 and Shs 200,000.
We have a provisional list of tuition fees for selected schools in second term.
While the ministry is yet to reveal its pending action, the schools are sticking by their decisions and parents expecting to have their children in these schools will have to adhere to the new fee structure or relocate their children.
A sample list showing fees changes
|
|
School |
Tuition Fees second term |
Tuition Fees first term |
Change |
|
1 |
City Parents Primary School |
1,150,000 |
1,050,000 |
100,000 |
|
2 |
Sir Apollo Kagwa PS - Mengo |
950,000 |
850,000 |
100,000 |
|
3 |
Sir Apollo Kagwa PS - Nakasero |
1,050,000 |
950,000 |
100,000 |
|
4 |
Taibah Junior School |
2,400,000 |
2,200,000 |
200,000 |
|
5 |
Light Academy SS O-level |
2,000,000 |
1,800,000 |
200,000 |
|
6 |
Light Academy SS A-level |
2,300,000 |
2,000,000 |
300,000 |
|
7 |
Seeta High Schools |
1,200,000 |
No change |
- |
|
8 |
Hana Mixed School |
2,400,000 |
No change |
- |
|
9 |
St Lawrence Schools |
998,000 |
No change |
- |
|
10 |
Watoto Hope SS - A-level |
1,300,000 |
No change |
- |
|
11 |
Watoto Hope SS - O-level |
1,200,000 |
No change |
- |
|
12 |
Victoria Nile PS Jinja |
300,000 |
No change |
- |
|
13 |
Greenhill School, Secondary section |
2,000,000 |
No change |
- |
|
14 |
Gayaza High School |
1,200,000 |
No change |
- |
|
15 |
St Mary's SS Kitende |
1,400,000 |
No change |
- |
|
16 |
Naalya SS Bweyogerere |
1,200,000 |
No change |
- |
|
17 |
St Noa High School, Zzana |
733,000 |
No change |
- |
|
18 |
Seroma Christian High School |
1,050,000 |
No change |
- |
|
19 |
Trinity College Nabbingo |
1,001,500 |
No change |
- |
|
20 |
Viva School |
2,400,000 |
No change |
- |
|
21 |
St Henry's College Kitovu |
1,100,000 |
977,000 |
123,000 |
mtalemwa@observer.ug