The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The government has announced that it is not in a position to provide financial assistance or take ownership of new schools despite the growing demand from foundation bodies including communities and Non-government organizations.
Available information indicates that over 620 schools have submitted applications to be classified and receive state subsidies. However, the Ministry of Education has stated in its policy statement that it will be unable to take over any of these schools in the upcoming fiscal year due to inadequate funding.
“Due to no budgetary allocations towards grant aiding of schools, no new schools will be granted in the FY 2023/24,” a parliament sectoral committee report recently released quotes ministerial policy statement in part.
According to the education ministry, the government would need an initial amount of 110 million shillings to take over ownership of a single primary school, while a secondary school would require 400 million Shillings. This implies that for the government to provide grant aid to 100 primary schools, the Ministry would require 11 billion Shillings. Similarly, for 50 secondary schools, the Ministry would need 20 billion Shillings.
According to a source from the Ministry, taking over an already-established school in the past has been more cost-effective for the government than constructing a completely new one. As an example, recent projects have seen the government spending nearly 3 billion shillings to build secondary seed schools.
“Some of these seed schools are also constructed on donated land by churches and other foundation bodies. So, if there is already an established school with classes and some materials, it would be simpler for the government to take it over, pay its staff, and receive some grants,” the source noted.
The government has made it a policy to establish primary schools in every parish and secondary school in every sub-county. Nevertheless, data reveals that there are presently 1,617 parishes without a public primary school and 350 sub-counties without a secondary school.
To bridge this gap, communities and NGOs have taken up the responsibility to set up schools in such areas. However, these schools sometimes encounter financial difficulties, leading to their failure and closure, which ultimately denies the local community access to the educational services they would have provided. Dagodwong Primary School in Pukor Sub-county, Pader District, is a prime example of such a school.
According to recent media reports, the school officials have requested the government to expedite the process of coding the school to improve its performance. Dagodwong Primary School was established in 2013 by community members and has been a beacon of hope for children who would otherwise have to walk long distances to attend far-off primary schools.
Despite having a student population of over 358, the school suffers from a shortage of teachers and inadequate classroom facilities, with most students studying in makeshift structures. In order to tackle these difficulties, the school administration has been calling on the government to expedite the coding of the school. This would enable the government to take over the management of the school, hire more teachers, and construct additional classrooms, creating a more conducive learning environment and ensuring that the students receive a high-quality education.
Recent data suggests that the government had initially set aside 6.8 billion shillings for grant-aiding 28 primary schools, and an additional 16.88 billion shillings for 37 secondary schools in the 2022/23 financial year. However, it has been reported that the funds were not disbursed.
As per the report from the Parliament, the committee has recommended that the Ministry of Finance release the budgeted funds and allocate 11 billion shillings towards the grant-aiding of 100 primary schools and 20 billion shillings towards 50 secondary schools in the next financial year.
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