MPs Warn Ban on Parent Contributions Could Deepen School Funding Crisis

Members of Parliament have warned that enforcing a ban on compulsory parent contributions in public schools without providing alternative funding could disrupt school operations and deepen the crisis in already under-resourced institutions.

The warning followed a debate in Parliament on Tuesday, September 29, over Local Government Minister Balaam Barugahara’s school inspections and directive against schools compelling parents to make payments. The debate, chaired by Speaker Markson Jacob Oboth-Oboth, highlighted the tension between the government’s policy of free education under Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Post-Primary Education and Training (UPPET) and the financial pressures facing schools.

Under the Education (Pre-Primary, Primary and Post-Primary) Act, 2008, schools implementing UPE and UPPET are prohibited from levying or ordering charges for education. The law also prohibits schools from sending learners away or denying them access to education because of failure to pay. A person who contravenes the provision can face a fine of up to 50 currency points, imprisonment for up to one year, or both.

However, the Act allows school management to receive voluntary contributions from parents and well-wishers in response to emergencies or urgent school needs. MPs argued that the distinction between compulsory charges and voluntary contributions needs to be maintained, particularly because many schools have historically relied on parental and community support to meet operational gaps.

Kilak South MP Dr Gilbert Olanya criticised the directive against parent contributions, arguing that enforcing the ban without an alternative funding mechanism could disrupt school operations and affect the quality of education, particularly in rural and underserved communities. Olanya also cautioned against publicly humiliating teachers and school administrators who are struggling to keep schools operational amid shortages of staff and resources.

He argued that the system should distinguish between officials abusing their positions and school managers attempting to fill gaps created by inadequate staffing and operating funds. Kazo County MP Dan Kimosho cited the pressure facing teachers in overcrowded classrooms, including Primary Seven classes that can have more than 150 pupils.

He said removing parent-funded support without increasing government staffing and operational funding could leave teachers with even heavier workloads. The debate also raised concerns about the level of government funding reaching schools. Recent reports from Apac indicate that a primary school with about 1,000 pupils can receive approximately Shs20 million annually in UPE capitation, translating to about Shs20,000 per learner per year.

School managers say the money has to cover a range of needs, including administration, scholastic materials, co-curricular activities, sanitation and security. Some schools have also historically relied on Parent-Teacher Association contributions to hire additional teachers, guards and cooks, construct latrines and purchase desks. At Alerwang Primary School in Apac, the head teacher reportedly said government payroll covered only nine of the school’s 14 teachers, leaving five locally recruited teachers dependent on PTA funding.

The situation has raised concerns that an immediate end to parent-funded support could result in schools losing locally recruited staff and essential services. Schools in several districts have reportedly started sending home locally recruited teachers, cleaners, guards, cooks and laboratory attendants after parents stopped contributing. At Bufunjo Seed Secondary School in Kyenjojo, 10 teachers and seven non-teaching staff employed through PTA arrangements were reportedly told to stay away pending negotiations.

At Nkoma Secondary School in Mbale, PTA leaders said a significant proportion of the teaching workforce depended on parental funding and warned that releasing those teachers would affect the school’s operations. The reported funding levels also show the gap between the resources available to schools and the cost of providing education.Separate reports have cited capitation rates of approximately Shs6,667 per primary learner per term, Shs58,000 per O-Level student and Shs90,000 per A-Level student. The National Planning Authority has reportedly recommended higher per-learner funding of between Shs59,000 and Shs63,500 for primary education and up to Shs885,000 for upper secondary education.

The government has also previously committed additional resources to the education sector. A 2023 Cabinet commitment reportedly provided for Shs1.48 trillion in education funding between 2024 and 2028, including increased capitation and the recruitment of about 78,888 primary teachers to help achieve a 40:1 pupil-teacher ratio.

The education sector has also been reported to have a significant staffing gap at post-primary level, estimated at 42 percent, equivalent to approximately 29,000 vacancies. Speaker Oboth called for a coordinated approach among ministries and government agencies in addressing the challenges facing schools. While discussing efforts to fight corruption, he said:

“Corruption by nature is embarrassing. And one of the punishments is embarrassment. So until we make it embarrassing…” However, the Speaker also stressed the need to protect the dignity of teachers and establish an agreed approach to school inspections. He said inspections should expose wrongdoing but should not turn untested allegations into public punishment.

The Education Act places responsibility on government to deploy and pay trained teachers and established non-teaching staff, provide statutory grants and supply educational materials. At the same time, the law recognises education as a joint responsibility of the State, parents and other stakeholders. Barugahara’s school inspections and directive against unauthorised charges are intended to enforce the legal requirement that children should not be denied access to UPE and UPPET education because of inability to pay. 

The parliamentary debate, however, has exposed the challenge of enforcing that requirement while schools continue to face shortages of teachers, operational funds and basic infrastructure. MPs are now calling for the enforcement of the ban on compulsory charges to be accompanied by adequate government financing so that schools do not lose essential staff and services.