Enforce minimum education standards
Feb 21, 2009
A Saturday Vision analysis has revealed that whereas there is a high correlation between higher fees and the number of candidates getting first grades, some schools charge high fees but post poor performances. There were a number of schools that charged o
A Saturday Vision analysis has revealed that whereas there is a high correlation between higher fees and the number of candidates getting first grades, some schools charge high fees but post poor performances. There were a number of schools that charged over sh400,000 per term, but got less than 10% of their candidates passing S4 with in Division One.
This is a clear indication that the money parents pay to the schools is not being spent on things that help students to learn. These schools, all of them private, either make abnormal profits or spend the money on the wrong priorities. This is worrying as there are more private than government schools in Uganda. Despite operating in a liberalised economy, the Government should protect parents from schools that charge high fees without investing reasonably in educating children.
Allowing them to operate in a purely business model could jeopardise education.
Some schools spend more money on publicity than on procurement of teaching aids. One of the ways to ensure that schools spend on the right things is to insist they implement the Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards Indicators for Educational Institutions.
This document spells out 12 indicators of quality education. To-date, hardly any school meets the minimum requirements. It is not enough for the ministry to set the minimum standards. They should enforce it.
This is a clear indication that the money parents pay to the schools is not being spent on things that help students to learn. These schools, all of them private, either make abnormal profits or spend the money on the wrong priorities. This is worrying as there are more private than government schools in Uganda. Despite operating in a liberalised economy, the Government should protect parents from schools that charge high fees without investing reasonably in educating children.
Allowing them to operate in a purely business model could jeopardise education.
Some schools spend more money on publicity than on procurement of teaching aids. One of the ways to ensure that schools spend on the right things is to insist they implement the Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards Indicators for Educational Institutions.
This document spells out 12 indicators of quality education. To-date, hardly any school meets the minimum requirements. It is not enough for the ministry to set the minimum standards. They should enforce it.