 Secondary schools countrywide have raised the schools fees for next term following the recent increase in food prices. Most head teachers yesterday said their management committees had approved the new fees structure at the end of last term.
Several other schools, which have not yet increased the fees, have
written to the Ministry of Education asking permission to do so. Others
said they would adjust their budgets and suspend some school activities
in order to allocate more money for the students’ welfare
“This term, the school has found it very difficult to cope with the high costs of running its activities,” read a circular given to the students of Nabisunsa Girls.
“As everywhere in Uganda, the cost of electricity, water, fuel and food has gone up abnormally. The domestic expenditure has gone up by sh25,000 per student due to the high cost of food.”
St. Mary’s College Kisubi has raised its fees by sh18,000. Students are now required to pay sh608,000. St. Agnes Naggalama has increased by sh20,000, Dr. Obote College by sh20,000, Muntuyera High School by sh10,000, Kibibi SS by sh26,000, while Katikamu SDA has risen its fees by sh30,000.
“We are affected by price increases when it comes to purchase of items for the school, generally,” said Kyewalyanga, the head teacher of Katikamu SS.
Mvara SS has increased fees by sh18,000. “We used to buy beans at sh1,150 a kilo but it has now gone to sh1,600. We requested the parents to increase the fees and they accepted,” said the head master, Aggrey Izio.
“Consumer prices have gone up and our budget has increased accordingly. The school must continue running,” commented Kibuli SS head teacher Haji Abby Mubiru.
Uganda Martyrs’ Namugongo did not increase the school fees. The headmaster, John Muyingo, said the increased food prices came after the school budget had been made and passed by the Board of Governors.
“We have suppliers who quoted prices before the effect of inflation. Once we give bank slips to parents, we cannot withdraw them or increase fees arbitrarily.”
“When we realise that the prices have gone up, we shall carry that forward to next term’s budget.” Green Hill Academy head teacher Veronica Maraka said they would be compelled to adjust the school’s menu in the next term.
“The Government is saying we should not increase school fees. But why don’t they tell the traders not to increase commodity prices?” remarked a head teacher of a government-aided school.
Ntare School headmaster Humphrey Ahimbisibwe said he was worried they may not be able to run through the second term.
“Either the Government steps in to give food assistance or we make appeals to parents to make emergency contributions. The extreme case is for the school to run part of the term and then close,” Ahimbisibwe said.
The headmistress of Trinity College Nabbingo, Nakate Kikomeko, disclosed that she had written to the school’s board of governors for permission to use the money meant for construction to buy food.
Prices of many food items have doubled in the last six months. Matooke has gone up from sh3,500 a bunch in November 2007 to
sh7,000. Cassava and sweet potatoes both increased from sh500 to
sh1,000 a heap. Maize flour went up from sh800 to sh1,400 a kilo and millet flour from sh1,200 to sh2,500 a kilogramme.
A big-size cabbage now costs sh1,200, up from sh600 in November, while Irish potatoes go for sh1,500 a kilogramme, up from sh1,000 six months ago. Cooking oil increased from sh1,500 to sh3,600 a litre, rice from sh1,300 to sh2,100 a kilo, while passion fruit has gone up from sh50 to sh100 a piece.
The rise in food prices in Uganda is partly a result of the high price of fuel on the international market, making transporting the goods from the countryside more expensive.
In addition, there is increased demand from Kenya, which saw food production in the fertile Rift Valley hampered due to the political crisis, and more demand from South Sudan, which was previously supplied by both Kenya and Uganda.
Since Uganda is largely self-sufficient in food production, it is less affected by the international increase in food prices, caused by the increased demand from China and the large-scale production of bio-ethanol in the US, fuel made from maize and wheat. Only rice, which is being imported, has seen a price hike as a result of the world-wide trend.
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