Parliament directs Ministry of Education to regulate school fees
Written by admin on January 17, 2023
The Speaker of Parliament, Ms Anita Among, has directed the Ministry of Education and Sports to present a statutory instrument to regulate school fees increments.
Her communication during plenary sitting today Tuesday, January 17, 2023, comes amidst a tough economic situation with many school proprietors charging learners exorbitantly to the detriment of parents and students alike.
Ms Among stated that these actions can potentially deny students their right to education, emphasising how important it is for families to afford school fees equally regardless of location or type.
The Bukooli County Member of Parliament, Mr Solomon Silwany, commented on how some institutions hide extra fees under requirements such as development fees, while the Tororo District Woman Representative, Ms Sarah Opendi, brought attention to the widening inequality in education institutions throughout Uganda.
“It is not just about school fees. We need to have equity in this country. Why should we have government-aided schools and some schools established by certain institutions, with government paying teachers, but they still charge fees higher than a university,” she said.
In February 2022, Ms Opendi moved a motion seeking a resolution of Parliament to address the problem of government and private schools charging learners exorbitant fees.
The matter was referred to the Committee of Education and Sports to investigate and make appropriate recommendations to the government for consideration.
However, Mr Cuthbert Abigaba, the Vice Chairperson of the Committee on Education and Sports, said that the draft report is ready pending a review meeting on January 24, 2023, before the final report is tabled for adoption and subsequent debate.
