The Ministry of Education and Sports has threatened public and private schools with sanctions for not adhering to the directive restricting tuition increment for this term.
The ministry says the schools have disguised the increment under a variety of semantics and it is why they have issued a circular warning that responsible head teachers will personally be held responsible.
The Minister of State for Education & Sports (Primary Education), Dr Joyce Moriku Kaducu, said a number of schools especially, boarding secondary schools, have increased fees dubbed as ‘Top Up’ in total defiance of the directive issued by the ministry and contrary to the guidelines issued.
“Preliminary investigations reveal that the fees increases were approved by the Board of Governors / School Management Committees but were not forwarded to the Ministry of Education and Sports for approval contrary to the laid down procedures,” she told the media in Kampala on Thursday, 13 January 2022.
“All head teachers of schools charging ‘Top Up’ fees are required to conduct Board of Governors Special Meetings to review their budget estimates and work plans for academic year 2022 and follow due process,” she added.
She explained that schools that have specific and unique issues relating to fees charges are required to follow the laid down procedures as prescribed in earlier circulars on school charges.
For schools where the parents have already paid the ‘Top up fees; the charges should be rolled over to the subsequent terms in academic year 2022, as pre-paid fees, the minister said.
“I will require all head teachers of the schools affected to issue a circular to all parents communicating the new developments in any case not later than 17th January 2022,” she directed.
Dr Kaducu said head teachers are further reminded to re-prioritize their expenditures during Term 1 2022 and stay the implementation of Capital Development Projects.