Schools in Luwero district have resorted to daily school fees charges as one of the plans to enable struggling parents to meet their obligations.
Learners returned to schools on Monday, January 10, 2022, after 22 months of closure over the COVID 19 pandemic. However, many learners are still home as parents hustle to return their children over lack of fees and other requirements.
Robert Mugwanya, a resident of Luwero and father of five says that due to the effects of the COVID-19 lockdown, he is unable to raise the required fees at once. He says he needs up to one million Shillings to clear the payments, yet he is also servicing a loan that he used to buy a motorcycle that is currently his main source of income.
Farmers also complained of poor harvests and low sales making it difficult for them to pay the fees for their children at once. As a result, private schools in Luwero have accepted fees deposits on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis to allow parents to bring back their children as well as retain them.
Everest College which has both Primary and Secondary Schools in Luwero town is among those schools where a parent can now deposit between 2,000 and 6,000 Shillings to enable their children to attend school.
Ronald Ndawula, the Director of Everest College says that several parents have turned up at the school saying they are unable to pay fees at once and they resolved to make it affordable to all in consideration of their income. He explained that total fees have been broken down into days, weeks and months in a term to enable each parent to have a choice for the payment.
Ndawula said that a parent who is supposed to pay 500,000 Shillings per term will be requested to pay either 5000 Shillings per day, 35,000 Shillings per week or 140,000 Shillings per Month depending on his income.
Mathew Mutabaazi, the Director of Amazing Grace High School in Luwero town says that they have been forced to accept deposits on a monthly basis and they believe this is the fair plan for all the parents.
Aisha Tushabe, a resident of Lukinzi village in Butuntumula sub-county welcomed the move by schools and has since applied at Everest College to pay 24,500 Shillings for a week of study. Tushabe said she will save the money from selling agricultural produce.
Yusuf Mukiibi, another resident said that he needed 1,050,000 for his three children which he was unable to pay over poor harvests. Mukiibi says that although he was allowed to pay a minimum of 10,000 Shillings a week for all children, his target is to save 50,000 Shillings to cater for fees.
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