The Fort Portal Deputy Resident City Commissioner (DRCC), Mr. Businge Emmanuel, has warned school heads against charging school fees in all government-aided schools, saying the practice frustrates the President’s agenda of making education accessible and equitable.

This comes at a time when community members decried the sending of learners back home by the headteacher of Mpanga Secondary School, Mr. Drek Rubongoya, over alleged dues in the first week of the first term.

The DRCC said the Education Act prohibits mandatory fees that hinder students’ access to education, thereby defeating the President’s intention of making education accessible to all.

In Uganda, Universal Primary Education (UPE) was introduced in 1997, while Universal Secondary Education (USE) started in 2007 to enable Ugandans to attain basic education.

During the last presidential elections, both the UPE and USE programmes were highlighted among the achievements that needed to be protected and consolidated to transform Uganda.

Although there is a provision for voluntary contributions from parents to support schools, the Deputy RCC categorically stated that such contributions should not affect learners’ attendance in class.
“Voluntary contributions should not be prohibitive in any manner that affects the learner, or else we lose the meaning of the President’s idea,” he said while addressing PTA and Board members of Mpanga Secondary School.

However, the headteacher of Mpanga Secondary School clarified the issue of sending away some students in the first week of the term, claiming it was not about school fees but related to hygiene and smartness. He said the students were shabbily dressed and had overgrown hair, which was not befitting for school.

He further highlighted constraints faced by the school, including limited learning space for the surging student population, which stands at about 4,000 students, delayed release of capitation grants, and a poor teacher-to-student ratio. Currently, Mpanga Secondary School has 39 teachers on the government payroll, with more than 50 others paid through parents’ contributions via the PTA.

The DRCC issued a stern warning to all head teachers in Fort Portal against the practice of sending students back home, promising severe consequences if it is repeated.