However, a 2023 report from the Equal Opportunities Commission (EOC) has found that unregulated skyrocketing fees have engulfed these programs to the extent of obscuring the gains of the interventions and defeating the original objectives, writes YUDAYA NANGONZI.
The commission undertook the study to establish the state of school fees and the implications for the vulnerable and marginalized groups. Data was collected from 212 schools in 60 districts across the country to examine the differences in fees charged between government and private schools.
While presenting the report findings at the EOC offices in Kampala last week, Susanne Nambatya, a research associate at the commission, said there were significant variations in fees between individual schools with no standard guidelines.
“The findings pointed to exorbitant fees in the majority of the schools including those facilitated by public funds, government failure in its mandate to regulate fees in schools including its own, and serious existing cost barrier (in all schools) to basic quality education, especially by the vulnerable and marginalized groups,” Nambatya said.
Despite the “free” label attached to UPE and USE education, the study found that additional fees continue being levied on parents to fill gaps the government leaves. District education authorities acknowledged that parents were struggling to pay those fees.
UPE & USE SCHOOLS
Currently, the government provides a capitation grant of Shs 20,000 per normal learner per year, Shs 22,000 for learners with special needs per year, and Shs 1,350,000 per school per year, under the UPE program. The findings revealed that the fees being charged by the selected 68 UPE schools for the study, were contributed both in cash and in-kind such as firewood, maize flour (5kg), beans (5kg), and maize grain (15kg).
The money charged ranged between Shs 2,235 and Shs 172,600 per term. The Western region had the highest UPE average fees (Shs 72,714) while the Eastern region had the lowest (Shs 30,706). Central and Northern regions were closer to the overall average at Shs 58,169 and Shs 49,866 respectively.
The government provides an annual USE unit cost of Shs 175,000 per normal learner, Shs 192,500 for SNE learners and Shs 1,230,000 for SNE learners in exclusive schools, and Shs 270,000 for Universal Post O-Level Education & Training (UPOLET).
The report showed that fees charged in 55 sampled USE schools averaged at Shs 157,850 with the Western region charging the highest fees, ranging from Shs 80,000 to Shs 364,000. According to Nambatya, reasons such as paying teachers not on the payroll, lunch and breakfast fees, paying utilities and teacher allowances, and late release of grants, were cited for extra charges in UPE and USE schools.
However, schools associated with religious foundation bodies charged fees to maintain their affiliation or support religious activities.
GOVT-AIDED (NON-USE) SCHOOLS
These are schools funded by the government but they operate as private schools.
“Government pays teachers, provides textbooks, and undertakes infrastructural development in these non-USE schools. However, the fees levied by these schools are quite high. The fees not only bar low- and middle-income students from accessing quality education but point to the government’s inability to control fees in its schools that are greatly facilitated by public funds,” reads the report.
The average fees charged here ranged between Shs 450,000 and Shs 3m. The Central region had the highest average fees at Shs 2.2m. Out of the 40 sampled schools, Nabisunsa Girls School leads the pact with Shs 3m. It is followed by Trinity College Nabbingo with Shs 2.8m, Kawempe Muslim SS (Shs 2.68m), Gayaza HS (Shs 2.6m), Makerere College School, and King’s College Budo with Shs 2.5m each. The lowest-paying school under this category was Kitgum HS with Shs 310,000.
PRIVATE SCHOOLS
It was observed that private schools are typically more expensive because they do not receive government funding and must rely entirely on school fees to run their institutions. However, some private secondary schools were charging relatively lower costs compared to some non-USE schools. The Central region had the highest average fees at Shs 1m.
Out of the 49 private secondary schools, St Mary’s Kitende had the highest fees at Shs 3.3m. It is followed by entry fees of Shs 3.1m and later Shs 2.2m at Uganda Martyrs Namugongo, Namirembe Hillside (Shs 2.5m), and St Joseph SS Naggalama and Seeta HS at Shs 2.3m by each student.
IMPACT OF HIGH FEES
The findings indicated that the high cost of education, whether in government or private schools, disproportionately impacts poor and vulnerable populations. Fees for uniforms, books and school development are pushing children out of school, leading to high dropout rates and preventing Uganda from reaching its education achievement targets.
The report cited significant barriers for marginalized groups like low-income families, girls, orphans and children with disabilities, which affected not just access to education but their overall life prospects, contributing to broader social and economic disparities.
Many students from low-income families attend school irregularly because their parents cannot afford to pay tuition or other mandatory fees. As a result, schools may prevent students from attending classes until payments are made, leading to frequent absenteeism.
One head teacher from a public school in the Eastern region said: “The fees charged are proposed through PTA and school management committees. However, the extra fees charged have caused absenteeism and dropout since some vulnerable parents can’t afford the fees.”
For girls from impoverished families, the report found that high school fees leave them vulnerable to early pregnancies as they may engage in transactional relationships to meet basic needs like sanitary pads and school fees due to lack of parent’s financial abilities.
Overall, exorbitant fees placed emotional and psychological pressure on students and parents. The report noted that students often feel embarrassed of fee arrears which gradually affect their academic performance and self-esteem.
RECOMMENDATIONS
The commission made eight policy recommendations to curb the high exorbitant school fees. The report called for, among others, a universal school feeding program and doubling capitation grants for both UPE and USE schools if parents are not to be charged any fees. This will reduce the financial burden on families and ensure that basic education is “truly free and accessible to all.”
The report noted that an enforceable school fees policy that ensures fairness, transparency, and access to education is essential for the country.
“The policy should define permissible fees to ensure schools do not impose arbitrary fees. It should ensure that no student is excluded from education due to financial hardships, possibly by introducing fee waivers, scholarships, or government support for low-income families,” reads the report.
It added that all schools should be tasked to disclose how collected fees are used, ensuring accountability in the management of school finances. The commissioner in charge of compliance and enforcement, James Mugisha, said the Education ministry ought to expedite finalizing the fees policy whose draft form was leaked and raised public uproar last year.
“We have met with ministry officials on the policy but the longer it takes to be released, the more it affects students and families. We shall engage the ministry again to discuss short-term measures to reduce fee discrimination as we wait for the long-term plan of releasing the policy,” Mugisha said.
To further reduce the fee burden in public schools, the government was asked to consider withdrawing funding from affluent non-USE schools to redirect those resources towards more pressing educational needs in UPE and USE schools.
According to the report, the government can use several parameters to identify affluent government-aided schools. For instance, schools with a high percentage of students from wealthy families as indicated by household income or parental occupations, and charging significantly higher fees compared to others in the region can signal affluence.
Schools with advanced infrastructure in wealthier neighbourhoods or areas offering a broad range of extra-curricular activities such as foreign trips, expensive sports, and arts programs may be more likely to serve affluent students.
“Non-USE schools that receive significant private donations or endowments from alumni or wealthy parents could indicate financial stability which may not be the case with a purely USE or UPE school across the country,” reads the report.
The government should also withdraw funding from non-USE schools with consistently high academic performance, offer competitive salaries to teachers, and hire highly qualified or international staff.
inarticle} inarticle}
