Museveni orders on UPE, USE fees
Jul 04, 2010
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has directed chief administrative officers (CAOs) to supervise the universal primary and secondary education programmes and ensure that no illegal fees are levied on pupils and students in government schools.
By Vision Reporter
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has directed chief administrative officers (CAOs) to supervise the universal primary and secondary education programmes and ensure that no illegal fees are levied on pupils and students in government schools.
He warned that CAOs, as heads of public servants within their respective districts, must stop the illegal practice or face the law if the directive is not implemented.
The President was yesterday addressing a rally at Karugutu Secondary School in Karugutu sub-county in the newly-created Ntoroko district.
He is in the western Rwenzori sub-region to promote and popularise the Prosperity-for All-programme.
The programme, implemented under National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), is aimed at fighting household poverty through modern agricultural production and commercialisation to improve people’s incomes.
The President said the Government spends sh700b every year on UPE and USE programmes, but if schools continue to collect fees from parents, they render the programme meaningless.
“If you teachers think the programmes are not necessary and all parents in Uganda can afford fees, then write to the Government to stop the programme and use the USE and UPE funds on other government programmes,†he said.
Museveni promised to give a hotline to the public to report those involved in the illegal practice.
The Government initiated UPE to increase access to quality primary education for all children.
It committed itself to pay fees, provide textbooks and other instructional materials for pupils and teachers.
The introduction of UPE in 1997 led to a 132% increase in gross enrollment from 3.1 million to 7.2 million in 2006.
Meanwhile, the President has instructed his office to provide health manuals to secondary school students on how to protect themselves from contracting HIV.
He cautioned the youth against irresponsible behaviour, adding that their health is irreplaceable if misshandled.
On the Prosperity-for-All programme, Museveni urged the public to focus on improving household income, saying it is more important than public goods such as roads, power and piped water.
He said while the Government has provided basic infrastructure across the country, the facilities are not utilised by most Ugandans because they are poor and cannot pay for them.
He appealed to Ugandans to work hard and fight poverty by engaging in modern agriculture and to diversify and engage in various agricultural activities.
He also urged them to exploit the NAADS programme to gain skills to boost agricultural production and commercialisation.
Earlier, the President visited David Masereka, a model farmer in Karugutu, who grows fruits such as mangoes, pineapples and oranges.
He asked the NAADS officials to support him to engage in projects such as dairy farming and poultry.
Museveni said the Government had so far sent sh2b to Bundibugyo district from which Ntoroko district was curved for NAADS, adding that more money would be sent every year to support more farmers.
He commended the residents of Ntoroko and the entire Rwenzori region for their support to the NRM.
He added that the Government had delivered on its promises, including bringing peace and stability to the region, extending electricity from Fort Portal to Bundibugyo, introducing the NAADS programme and had tarmacked the road from Fort Portal to Bundibugyo, which he commissioned yesterday.
PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has directed chief administrative officers (CAOs) to supervise the universal primary and secondary education programmes and ensure that no illegal fees are levied on pupils and students in government schools.
He warned that CAOs, as heads of public servants within their respective districts, must stop the illegal practice or face the law if the directive is not implemented.
The President was yesterday addressing a rally at Karugutu Secondary School in Karugutu sub-county in the newly-created Ntoroko district.
He is in the western Rwenzori sub-region to promote and popularise the Prosperity-for All-programme.
The programme, implemented under National Agricultural Advisory Services (NAADS), is aimed at fighting household poverty through modern agricultural production and commercialisation to improve people’s incomes.
The President said the Government spends sh700b every year on UPE and USE programmes, but if schools continue to collect fees from parents, they render the programme meaningless.
“If you teachers think the programmes are not necessary and all parents in Uganda can afford fees, then write to the Government to stop the programme and use the USE and UPE funds on other government programmes,†he said.
Museveni promised to give a hotline to the public to report those involved in the illegal practice.
The Government initiated UPE to increase access to quality primary education for all children.
It committed itself to pay fees, provide textbooks and other instructional materials for pupils and teachers.
The introduction of UPE in 1997 led to a 132% increase in gross enrollment from 3.1 million to 7.2 million in 2006.
Meanwhile, the President has instructed his office to provide health manuals to secondary school students on how to protect themselves from contracting HIV.
He cautioned the youth against irresponsible behaviour, adding that their health is irreplaceable if misshandled.
On the Prosperity-for-All programme, Museveni urged the public to focus on improving household income, saying it is more important than public goods such as roads, power and piped water.
He said while the Government has provided basic infrastructure across the country, the facilities are not utilised by most Ugandans because they are poor and cannot pay for them.
He appealed to Ugandans to work hard and fight poverty by engaging in modern agriculture and to diversify and engage in various agricultural activities.
He also urged them to exploit the NAADS programme to gain skills to boost agricultural production and commercialisation.
Earlier, the President visited David Masereka, a model farmer in Karugutu, who grows fruits such as mangoes, pineapples and oranges.
He asked the NAADS officials to support him to engage in projects such as dairy farming and poultry.
Museveni said the Government had so far sent sh2b to Bundibugyo district from which Ntoroko district was curved for NAADS, adding that more money would be sent every year to support more farmers.
He commended the residents of Ntoroko and the entire Rwenzori region for their support to the NRM.
He added that the Government had delivered on its promises, including bringing peace and stability to the region, extending electricity from Fort Portal to Bundibugyo, introducing the NAADS programme and had tarmacked the road from Fort Portal to Bundibugyo, which he commissioned yesterday.