Kazimba urges dialogue as school fees row deepens

What the report says

Archbishop Stephen Kazimba Mugalu of the Church of Uganda has called on the government to engage parents, teachers and school leaders in talks over disputed school charges, as a nationwide row over fees in government-aided schools intensifies. Speaking in Kitgum at the Kitgum Diocese headquarters during a farewell event ahead of his planned retirement in August 2027, Kazimba said some schools may need parent-supported contributions to meet basic needs, but only where those payments are agreed by parents and governing bodies.

His comments come as State Minister for Local Government Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi has been touring districts to challenge what he describes as illegal charges in government-aided schools. The Independent Uganda reported that the minister has ordered investigations in some cases and that disputes have surfaced in places including Bududa, Kaliro and Bugiri, where schools and parents have differed over the level of fees and the cost of maintaining education services.

The issue sits within a wider policy tension: public education programmes prohibit compulsory charges, but the Education Act allows voluntary contributions for urgent needs in some cases. School administrators and some education leaders argue that government funding is often insufficient for staffing, utilities and upkeep, while officials insist children should not be denied access because of extra levies. Kazimba said arrests and threats against head teachers could discourage school management, and he urged dialogue instead of confrontation.