How long will schools bear the pinch?
Apr 05, 2011
THE sight of katogo, a mixture of two or more local food items prepared together, is not a familiar sight for many a student.
By Angella Ndagano
THE sight of katogo, a mixture of two or more local food items prepared together, is not a familiar sight for many a student.
However, these days students are learning the hard way as they go to the dining hall only to be confronted with an unappetising mixture of cassava and beans, replacing the usual rice or posho.
This katogo, commonly known as ‘sleeping pill’ because one starts dosing off shortly after the meal (because of the high starch content in cassava), is becoming a daily item on school menus.
As schools grapple with the increasing commodity prices, this is something that many students will have to learn to live with, at least until the situation gets back to normal, which does not seem close. Financial experts warn of further increase in commodity prices if fuel prices continue to soar. Schools, as big consumers of most of these food items, have been hard hit.
“We made the school budget basing on the previous prices when, for instance, a 50-kilogram sack of maize flour cost sh45,000. The same sack now costs sh70,000,†explains Sophie Kaggwa, the headteacher of Wakiso Islamic Primary School.
The situation is similar at St. Joseph’s college Layibi.
“A kilogram of maize flour which used to cost sh750 has now risen to sh900,†says Tom Otim, the headteacher.
Other schools are contemplating closing the term earlier than the official closing date.
The current situation spells doom for the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools. The Government has never made any significant review of the unit cost for primary schools since free education started. More so, since 2007, the Government has been allocating sh41,000 per term to each USE student in its schools, and sh47,000 each for those in privately-owned ones.
The cost of food is hurting government schools in urban centres more as they are not allowed to charge any fee for meals. UPE schools are allowed to charge sh10,400 per term towards utility costs. This is an equivalent of sh170 per day if spread across the whole term. Sh170 can only buy two pieces of fried cassava or two pancakes. To get a basic meal, one needs to part with at least sh1,500. This means for schools to survive the food problem, the issue of lunch fees has to be revised in consultation with all the stakeholders, including parents.
Recently, Kabakumba Masiko, the information minister, told journalists that the Government was monitoring the increase in prices and did not think it was time for the Government to intervene.
However, experts warn that schools stand a risk of closing down if the Government does not quickly intervene.
“If the situation continues like this, we will begin giving them porridge for lunch. But should the worst come, we may have to close for holidays,†says John Buyinza, the headteacher of Shimoni Primary School.
If the situation is not checked, educationists warn of a repeat of 2009 where schools hiked fees in response to soaring commodity prices.
Schools adopt desperate measures
Some schools have resorted to diverting resources meant for other school activities towards feeding.
“The rise in prices has affected the activities of the school because it happened at a time when we had already set the fees structure. We have diverted some money that would be used for scholastic materials to feeding children,†says Muhamud Kirya, the director of studies at Kamwokya Islamic Nursery and Primary School.
“We have cut budgets for some activities like sports to add on the food budget. If prices continue increasing, we shall definitely remove some items from the menu, though we have been reluctant to compromise on the quality,†says Stephen Mwesigwa, the Green Hill Academy headteacher.
Time to rely on suppliers for credit
The head teachers New Vision talked to say the schools are now depending on the mercy of suppliers who give them commodities on credit.
“Our suppliers have been patient with us. And they know we have to pay them. That is how we are surviving but this means we shall pay more than we were paying upfront,†said a school headteacher who preferred anonymity.
A district education officer who did not want to be named said the quality of education might be compromised if the Government does not sort out the issue quickly.
“This is a big problem, especially for rural schools where parents cannot afford to support the schools. Headteachers are not supposed to collect any money from parents, or pupils. It is illegal.â€
Another district education officer noted that most rural schools are struggling because they depend on the Government as the only source of funding.
“We shall not have quality education. This is something the Government has to pay attention to.â€
Headteachers are pushing to be allowed to charge parents a fee to cater for utilities, especially for schools in urban areas.
This, according to the headteachers, should be a voluntary fee agreed upon by the parents and the schools. In the budget allocation, funding to UPE was cut to boost USE.
Other schools have found a remedy in food rationing.
“We have reduced the meat and matooke we prepare for teachers from twice to once a week. We have also reduced the food rations for students. We used to cook 80kg of maize flour per day last term, but now we give them 50kg,†says Margaret Watuwa, the Kololo Secondary School headteacher.
Charles Otim, the deputy headteacher Nkonkonjeru Primary School, says: “We have had to ration food for our pupils carefully to avoid wastage. The management is also planning a slight increment in fees structure to cope with the new costs. The parents need the service and we cannot let them down,†he says.
However, some headteachers do not support the idea of rationing.
“We cannot reduce the food rations to students as this may spark off riots from the students. World Food Programme should come to our rescue,†he asserts.
Mathew Obol Ottober, the headteacher of Awere Secondary School in Gulu, echoes a similar view. “Much as we can ration, but we cannot reduce the students’ appetite.â€
Impact on academic performance
The crisis is likely to have an effect on academics as schools cut the term short to avoid a more serious crisis.
Mbale Modern Secondary School has resolved to delay the opening of the day section for fear that it may not be able to feed the day scholars.
“We have had a 20% increment in the budget due to the unexpected increase in food prices. We have reduced the number of days some teachers come to work, especially those who get transport allowances. If someone has been reporting for four days, now he has to report twice a week,†explains Lydia Mbabazi, the deputy headteacher of Alliance High School, Nansana.
J. Varghese, the director of Good Shepherd High School, Nansana, says some students have stopped reporting to school because their parents no longer have money.
Some schools not affected
Amidst the crisis, there are schools that are not feeling the pinch.
“We stocked our food supplies last July. We have rice, beans and maize flour in stock. We are still relying on the old stock and have not started experiencing the pinch,†says Muhammad Kigere, the director of studies at Hamdan Girls High School
“I did all my shopping for the whole term at the beginning of the year, so the increase in food prices has not had any impact on me or the school as a whole,†says the headmaster of Buganda Road Primary School.
Manek Bharat, the principal of Lohana schools, says: “This year we budgeted better than the previous years, so we are not struggling to keep within the budget and maintain the good standards of the schools.â€
Ministry of Education speaks out
According to Aggrey Kibenge, the education ministry publicist, they have asked the finance ministry to increase its financial allocation to revise unit costs at all levels of education.
“We are aware of the hike in commodity prices, and we are concerned. This affects our operations at the headquarters and at the schools’ level. There is need to review the unit costs at all levels of education,†Kibenge explained.
THE sight of katogo, a mixture of two or more local food items prepared together, is not a familiar sight for many a student.
However, these days students are learning the hard way as they go to the dining hall only to be confronted with an unappetising mixture of cassava and beans, replacing the usual rice or posho.
This katogo, commonly known as ‘sleeping pill’ because one starts dosing off shortly after the meal (because of the high starch content in cassava), is becoming a daily item on school menus.
As schools grapple with the increasing commodity prices, this is something that many students will have to learn to live with, at least until the situation gets back to normal, which does not seem close. Financial experts warn of further increase in commodity prices if fuel prices continue to soar. Schools, as big consumers of most of these food items, have been hard hit.
“We made the school budget basing on the previous prices when, for instance, a 50-kilogram sack of maize flour cost sh45,000. The same sack now costs sh70,000,†explains Sophie Kaggwa, the headteacher of Wakiso Islamic Primary School.
The situation is similar at St. Joseph’s college Layibi.
“A kilogram of maize flour which used to cost sh750 has now risen to sh900,†says Tom Otim, the headteacher.
Other schools are contemplating closing the term earlier than the official closing date.
The current situation spells doom for the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) schools. The Government has never made any significant review of the unit cost for primary schools since free education started. More so, since 2007, the Government has been allocating sh41,000 per term to each USE student in its schools, and sh47,000 each for those in privately-owned ones.
The cost of food is hurting government schools in urban centres more as they are not allowed to charge any fee for meals. UPE schools are allowed to charge sh10,400 per term towards utility costs. This is an equivalent of sh170 per day if spread across the whole term. Sh170 can only buy two pieces of fried cassava or two pancakes. To get a basic meal, one needs to part with at least sh1,500. This means for schools to survive the food problem, the issue of lunch fees has to be revised in consultation with all the stakeholders, including parents.
Recently, Kabakumba Masiko, the information minister, told journalists that the Government was monitoring the increase in prices and did not think it was time for the Government to intervene.
However, experts warn that schools stand a risk of closing down if the Government does not quickly intervene.
“If the situation continues like this, we will begin giving them porridge for lunch. But should the worst come, we may have to close for holidays,†says John Buyinza, the headteacher of Shimoni Primary School.
If the situation is not checked, educationists warn of a repeat of 2009 where schools hiked fees in response to soaring commodity prices.
Schools adopt desperate measures
Some schools have resorted to diverting resources meant for other school activities towards feeding.
“The rise in prices has affected the activities of the school because it happened at a time when we had already set the fees structure. We have diverted some money that would be used for scholastic materials to feeding children,†says Muhamud Kirya, the director of studies at Kamwokya Islamic Nursery and Primary School.
“We have cut budgets for some activities like sports to add on the food budget. If prices continue increasing, we shall definitely remove some items from the menu, though we have been reluctant to compromise on the quality,†says Stephen Mwesigwa, the Green Hill Academy headteacher.
Time to rely on suppliers for credit
The head teachers New Vision talked to say the schools are now depending on the mercy of suppliers who give them commodities on credit.
“Our suppliers have been patient with us. And they know we have to pay them. That is how we are surviving but this means we shall pay more than we were paying upfront,†said a school headteacher who preferred anonymity.
A district education officer who did not want to be named said the quality of education might be compromised if the Government does not sort out the issue quickly.
“This is a big problem, especially for rural schools where parents cannot afford to support the schools. Headteachers are not supposed to collect any money from parents, or pupils. It is illegal.â€
Another district education officer noted that most rural schools are struggling because they depend on the Government as the only source of funding.
“We shall not have quality education. This is something the Government has to pay attention to.â€
Headteachers are pushing to be allowed to charge parents a fee to cater for utilities, especially for schools in urban areas.
This, according to the headteachers, should be a voluntary fee agreed upon by the parents and the schools. In the budget allocation, funding to UPE was cut to boost USE.
Other schools have found a remedy in food rationing.
“We have reduced the meat and matooke we prepare for teachers from twice to once a week. We have also reduced the food rations for students. We used to cook 80kg of maize flour per day last term, but now we give them 50kg,†says Margaret Watuwa, the Kololo Secondary School headteacher.
Charles Otim, the deputy headteacher Nkonkonjeru Primary School, says: “We have had to ration food for our pupils carefully to avoid wastage. The management is also planning a slight increment in fees structure to cope with the new costs. The parents need the service and we cannot let them down,†he says.
However, some headteachers do not support the idea of rationing.
“We cannot reduce the food rations to students as this may spark off riots from the students. World Food Programme should come to our rescue,†he asserts.
Mathew Obol Ottober, the headteacher of Awere Secondary School in Gulu, echoes a similar view. “Much as we can ration, but we cannot reduce the students’ appetite.â€
Impact on academic performance
The crisis is likely to have an effect on academics as schools cut the term short to avoid a more serious crisis.
Mbale Modern Secondary School has resolved to delay the opening of the day section for fear that it may not be able to feed the day scholars.
“We have had a 20% increment in the budget due to the unexpected increase in food prices. We have reduced the number of days some teachers come to work, especially those who get transport allowances. If someone has been reporting for four days, now he has to report twice a week,†explains Lydia Mbabazi, the deputy headteacher of Alliance High School, Nansana.
J. Varghese, the director of Good Shepherd High School, Nansana, says some students have stopped reporting to school because their parents no longer have money.
Some schools not affected
Amidst the crisis, there are schools that are not feeling the pinch.
“We stocked our food supplies last July. We have rice, beans and maize flour in stock. We are still relying on the old stock and have not started experiencing the pinch,†says Muhammad Kigere, the director of studies at Hamdan Girls High School
“I did all my shopping for the whole term at the beginning of the year, so the increase in food prices has not had any impact on me or the school as a whole,†says the headmaster of Buganda Road Primary School.
Manek Bharat, the principal of Lohana schools, says: “This year we budgeted better than the previous years, so we are not struggling to keep within the budget and maintain the good standards of the schools.â€
Ministry of Education speaks out
According to Aggrey Kibenge, the education ministry publicist, they have asked the finance ministry to increase its financial allocation to revise unit costs at all levels of education.
“We are aware of the hike in commodity prices, and we are concerned. This affects our operations at the headquarters and at the schools’ level. There is need to review the unit costs at all levels of education,†Kibenge explained.