Parents are protesting an unprecedented increase in school fees, from kindergarten all the way up to university, now that nearly all schools have reopened for the new academic year.
Although the government has condemned fee increases, schools have nonetheless done so.
The majority of the so-called “big and good schools” charge not less than Shs2 million, according to some fee structures this website has seen.
According to reports, some parents have been forced to make difficult decisions, such as choosing to keep some students out of school.
Several parents have voiced their concerns about high school tuition rates on social media.
“Every time school starts, I tell myself the Kids I have are enough, I can’t be going through all this stress, then during holidays when they are home, they aren’t enough and I want more eh Mukama .. I think paying school fees should be considered a childbirth control method,” said Patrick Salvado.
A one Timothy Kalyegira said, To parents in Uganda and Kenya: You are paying a lot of money in school fees for a curriculum that is outdated for the 21st Century. It won’t help your children find jobs or create jobs.”
Retired senior police officer AIGP Asan Kasingye also shared a short story on his Twitter.
“She has come with her 2 chn,S6 & 2. Requested to pay half-fees for each. The proprietor of this famous school sent her out of her office. Streams of tears mixed with sobs. Sympathetic & angry pairs of eyes from waiting parents. Most are in the same situation. It’s tough to be a parent today,” he said.
“This is not fair u people the government should intervene and set up a limit for school fees,” Brave Jonathan said.
Bamwine Junior said, “Schools are charging school fees as if students will do final exams on Mars.”
Meanwhile, the Uganda National Teachers’ Union (UNATU) said that the cost of running schools has risen and the fees paid by parents and capitation by the government is not enough as the cost of food has gone up.
In the 2022/2023 financial year, the Ministry of Education and Sports was allocated Shs3.6 trillion.