High fees: Why parents are stuck with costly schools

As the first school term of 2025 begins, parents across Uganda are grappling with the relentless burden of skyrocketing school fees.

From nursery schools to secondary institutions, exorbitant charges have become a common complaint, leaving many families struggling to provide their children with quality education. Despite repeated public outcry and parliamentary debates, the ministry of Education and Sports has yet to establish meaningful regulations, effectively leaving the education sector in a state of unchecked commercialization.

Parents report shockingly high fees, with some nursery schools demanding over Shs 1.5m per term, while government-aided secondary schools—intended to offer affordable options—charge upwards of Shs 1.2m on average. Boarding schools and international institutions, with fees climbing as high as Shs 3.5m per term, further amplify the financial strain.

A 2024 report by the Equal Opportunities Commission exposed rampant fee hikes, even in Universal Primary Education (UPE) and government-aided schools, highlighting widespread violations of education policies. While many schools justify their fees with promises of quality, experts argue that high fees do not always translate to better education.

Caught between the need to address these disparities and the operational realities of underfunded schools, the ministry of Education remains mired in policy delays and systemic conflicts of interest. With calls for greater regulation growing louder, the question remains: can Uganda strike a balance between affordability and quality in education, or will parents remain trapped in this unsustainable cycle?

For one parent, the harsh reality of high school fees became evident during a recent visit to several nursery schools while searching for a baby class for his child.

“I visited four nursery schools, and they all charged above Shs 1 million per term for baby class. At one school, the fees were Shs 719,500 per term if the child was picked up by 1 pm. However, if the child stayed until 4 pm, it was an additional Shs 300,000 per term. It felt unrealistic since nothing special is taught to a baby class child after lunchtime,” the father of one explained.

At an international school in Najeera, the parent encountered even higher fees. The fee structure included Shs 1.5 million per term for a full day in baby class, with an additional Shs 200,000 for registration and Shs 200,000 for a school uniform. Parents were required to pay 75 per cent of the fees before the term started, with the remaining 25 per cent due a month later.

“What shocked me the most was that failing to pay within the approved timeframe attracted an extra fee of Shs 150,000,” the parent said.

While the parent acknowledged the importance of nursery education, he felt the charges should reflect tangible value, such as employing qualified teachers and providing adequate play areas for children, rather than just high fees. He argued that the same quality of education could be provided at less costly schools, but with no free public nursery schools, parents like him are forced to opt for expensive private options.

The 2024 report by the Equal Opportunities Commission corroborated these experiences, highlighting that exorbitant fees remain widespread across both private and public schools. The Education Act prohibits levying and collecting fees in schools implementing the Universal Primary Education (UPE) program, where the government provides a capitation grant of Shs 20,000 per child annually and Shs 22,000 for learners with special needs.

Despite this, the report revealed that UPE schools still charged parents additional fees ranging from Shs 2,235 to Shs 172,600 per term. In public secondary schools, the annual unit cost is Shs 175,000 per student, Shs 192,500 for special-needs students at O-level, and Shs 270,000 for A-level students.

However, these schools charged additional fees ranging from Shs 30,000 to Shs 364,000 per term. The financial burden is even heavier in government-aided secondary schools that operate like private institutions. Although they receive government support for teacher salaries, textbooks, capitation grant and infrastructure, these schools charge fees ranging from Shs 450,000 to Shs 3 million per term, with an average of Shs 1.26 million.

Private secondary schools, on the other hand, charged between Shs 270,000 and Shs 3.3 million per term. These statistics highlight a troubling reality for Ugandan parents, who are left to navigate an education system that often prioritizes revenue generation over accessibility and affordability.

Without strong regulatory measures, the financial burden on families continues to grow, raising urgent questions about the sustainability and equity of Uganda’s education sector.

THE COST OF BOARDING SCHOOLS

Boarding schools are significantly contributing to the rising cost of education in Uganda. One parent said her primary six child at a private school in Wakiso is charged Shs 1,480,000 per term for boarding, compared to Shs 1,130,000 for day scholars. Surprisingly, nursery and P7 children in the same school are charged Shs 1,680,000 for boarding, despite the considerable differences in age and educational needs.

This term, the school introduced a mandatory laundry fee of Shs 80,000 for boarding learners to “take care of children’s dirty laundry while they focus on academics and co-curricular activities.”

The frustrated parent, however, lamented, “My child can wash his clothes, but the school no longer allows them to do so after they bought washing machines. I feel like he’s being deprived of such an important life skill.”

Despite these high fees, the parent remains satisfied with the school’s overall offering. However, the financial strain of paying fees upfront remains daunting, as all parents must present a fully paid bank slip before their children are allowed to begin the term. For a single father of nine, the financial burden is even more severe.

Ahead of the upcoming term, he needs Shs 4,918,400 to cover the school fees for his four children attending a top government-aided secondary school in Masaka.

“I don’t pay all the fees at once. I make a reasonable deposit and set aside Shs 1 million for their shopping, which is carefully done by their eldest sibling who is at a private university. Then, I have to find the balance because I have three more children in primary school who also need school fees,” he explained.

The father, a businessman and farmer, admitted that while the fees are challenging, the school’s strong reputation for academic excellence and discipline justifies the sacrifice.

“It’s not easy, but I believe it’s worth it for the kind of education and values they’re receiving,” he said.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

For some parents, the pursuit of a holistic education has led them to enroll their children in international schools, despite the high costs. A father of two children attending a Cambridge curriculum-based school in Kampala said he values a well-rounded education that extends beyond academic grades.

“I wanted my children to genuinely learn, not just be automatically promoted like in public schools. I often test them with random questions to confirm what is being taught at school,” he explained.

With school fees set at Shs 3.5 million per term for each child in baby class and Grade Five, the father argued that the quality of education provided justifies the expense. The school boasts small class sizes with a teacher-student ratio of one to seven, as well as regular interactions between parents and teachers.

“For me, spending Shs 7 million per term is a reasonable cost for the value my children are receiving,” he said.

The fees also cover additional expenses such as books, breakfast, lunch and extracurricular activities. However, he noted that parents are required to purchase a laptop or tablet for each child to aid in learning. Reflecting on his own schooling experience in the 1980s at East Kololo primary school, the father lamented the loss of affordable, quality education in public schools.

“Back then, we paid just Shs 95 per term, and the school even offered us free milk. When I moved to Namilyango College, fees were Shs 35,000. The government should work to revive that lost glory in public schools to reduce the cost of education across the country,” he said.

However, not all parents are convinced that international schools offer the best value for their needs. A mother of one who enrolled her child in an international school’s Year Three class last year, paying Shs 1,143,000, expressed concern over her child’s declining language skills and the long commute to the school.

This year, she decided to move her child to a private school with boarding facilities, where the fees are slightly lower at Shs 910,000 per term. While she welcomed the reduced costs, she was frustrated by the additional compulsory charges, including Shs 58,000 for a Uganda Red Cross uniform and a Uganda Cranes jersey.

HIGH FEES VS. QUALITY EDUCATION

The connection between high school fees and quality education is far from straightforward, according to Prof Grace Lubaale, an educationist and senior lecturer at Kyambogo University. While higher fees often result in better infrastructure and improved teacher salaries, they do not necessarily translate to better educational outcomes.

“Some expensive schools are cheating parents,” Lubaale pointed out. “Why should parents be charged extra fees for co-curricular activities or study trips that are part of the curriculum?” He emphasized the need for the government to implement checks and balances to ensure fairness in school fees, protecting parents from unnecessary financial exploitation.

Lubaale also cautioned parents against enrolling their children in schools they cannot afford.

“My children go to high-end schools to associate with certain classes of people because I can afford it. Whether they get good grades or not, it is okay,” he said. He added that he cannot consider sending his children to a school with fewer than 1,000 students, a benchmark he associates with quality and competitiveness.

Dickson Tumuramye, a child advocate and parenting coach, highlighted another significant issue: the pressure parents face from friends, relatives, or neighbors to enroll their children in certain schools. This peer pressure often leads parents to make financially and emotionally unsustainable decisions.

THE SCHOOL FEES POLICY DILEMMA

The spokesperson for the ministry of Education, Dr Denis Mugimba, acknowledged the growing parents’ concerns regarding exorbitant school fees. However, he revealed that the ministry is grappling with challenges in implementing a comprehensive school fees policy.

“The ministry is caught between a rock and a hard place,” Mugimba admitted. “Without completely free public primary and secondary education, the implications of enforcing strict regulations on school fees could disrupt the operations of schools. For instance, if we barred grant-aided schools from charging additional fees to recruit extra teachers, how would these schools serve students efficiently when government teachers are not available in every school?”

He further explained the ministry’s cautious approach.

“We know what needs to be done, but the consequences may be worse if we act hastily. Until schools are equipped with adequate teachers, it will be difficult to establish a fully free universal education system,” Mugimba said.

Despite the Education Act of 2008 granting the ministry powers to regulate school fees, progress has been hindered by internal challenges. A highly placed source disclosed that some technical officials are conflicted due to personal interests in the education sector.

“Whenever technical teams consult on school fees, the voices supporting the status quo are louder and more influential,” the source revealed. “Many schools are owned by foundation bodies or private individuals, some of whom are ministry or government officials. Essentially, it’s like asking a poacher to guard a national park.”

The source also noted that Education Minister Janet Museveni has repeatedly questioned why the ministry has not implemented regulations on school fees. However, no clear answers have been provided in senior management meetings.

This systemic weakness, the source added, has left the education sector largely unregulated. While some legal frameworks exist, there are no operational instruments to enforce or sustain them. For example, in 2023, the cabinet passed a resolution banning schools from charging parents for items like building materials and capital assets that permanently remain with the school. Yet, this regulation has not been implemented.

The cabinet also directed the ministry to review the Education Act, further complicating the matter. Dr Mugimba explained that drafting regulations on an Act under review would create legal uncertainties.

SCHOOL FEES IN SELECT SECONDARY SCHOOLS