Govt sets USE rules
Feb 22, 2007
THE education ministry has issued guidelines stopping the levying of top-up fees on students under the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme.
By Carol Natukunda
THE education ministry has issued guidelines stopping the levying of top-up fees on students under the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme.
In a strongly-worded February 20 circular to all head teachers of USE schools, the permanent secretary, Francis Lubanga, directed: “No form of charges must be levied on students seeking admission to any of the schools implementing the USE programme. Let this circular serve as a warming to all head teachers flouting this arrangement. Disciplinary action shall be taken against any public officer found not heeding this warning.
“Lunch fees to be charged by schools under the USE programme should mutually be agreed upon between the school board of governors and the parents. Prior approval must be obtained from the Director of Education, before fees are implemented. Payment of lunch fees by students is optional and no student should be barred from attending class for failure to pay lunch fees,†he said.
On Tuesday The New Vision broke the story of schools which were charging fees for registration, lunch, uniforms and magazines, among others.
Lubanga emphasised that his directive was in response to reported cases of USE schools and head teachers who had continued to levy fees, yet the Government is providing funding for full tuition of senior one students.
“Schools must divest themselves from supplying and selling uniforms. They are advised to simply describe colour, fashion and logo and allow parents to procure uniforms from any source of their choice.â€
He also ordered that the habit of requiring students to buy school magazines before admission should stop immediately. “Students should see the value of the magazine and opt to buy it or not.â€
Lubanga said schools were required to admit only the number of students allocated to them.
USE kicked off on Monday, with over 200,000 students benefiting.
THE education ministry has issued guidelines stopping the levying of top-up fees on students under the Universal Secondary Education (USE) programme.
In a strongly-worded February 20 circular to all head teachers of USE schools, the permanent secretary, Francis Lubanga, directed: “No form of charges must be levied on students seeking admission to any of the schools implementing the USE programme. Let this circular serve as a warming to all head teachers flouting this arrangement. Disciplinary action shall be taken against any public officer found not heeding this warning.
“Lunch fees to be charged by schools under the USE programme should mutually be agreed upon between the school board of governors and the parents. Prior approval must be obtained from the Director of Education, before fees are implemented. Payment of lunch fees by students is optional and no student should be barred from attending class for failure to pay lunch fees,†he said.
On Tuesday The New Vision broke the story of schools which were charging fees for registration, lunch, uniforms and magazines, among others.
Lubanga emphasised that his directive was in response to reported cases of USE schools and head teachers who had continued to levy fees, yet the Government is providing funding for full tuition of senior one students.
“Schools must divest themselves from supplying and selling uniforms. They are advised to simply describe colour, fashion and logo and allow parents to procure uniforms from any source of their choice.â€
He also ordered that the habit of requiring students to buy school magazines before admission should stop immediately. “Students should see the value of the magazine and opt to buy it or not.â€
Lubanga said schools were required to admit only the number of students allocated to them.
USE kicked off on Monday, with over 200,000 students benefiting.