Tororo Parents Reject Government Ban on Extra School Charges

[Archival Sense]

Parents in Tororo District have rejected the Ministry of Education and Sports directive banning extra charges in Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools, insisting voluntary contributions are necessary to keep public schools operational.

During an Annual General Meeting at Rock View Primary School in Tororo Town on Thursday, parents said government funding was insufficient to meet schools’ operational needs.

Headteacher Abdu Gamoiza told the meeting that implementing the directive would require the school to suspend its mini-boarding and nursery sections, stop selling uniforms and badges, and halt planned infrastructure projects.

Sarah Achieng, a parent, said families had agreed to continue contributing towards school operations, arguing that the annual UPE capitation grant of Shs20,000 per pupil was inadequate.

Geoffrey Napa, an alumnus of the school, questioned how 12 government-paid teachers could adequately serve more than 2,319 learners without additional funding.

The resistance has also drawn support from religious foundation bodies. Rev. Paul Wamboko Masaba, Education Commission Secretary for Bukedi Diocese, said the church was considering ending its partnership with the government if the restrictions remained in force.

However, Gamoiza assured parents that learning would continue and no child would be denied education because of the funding challenges.

Assistant Resident District Commissioner Samuel Falijar welcomed the parents’ willingness to contribute but cautioned school administrators against using the arrangements to exclude children whose families could not afford to pay.

Photo By Daily Monitor