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Sironko, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Parents of Budadiri girls’ government-aided primary school in Budadiri town council, Sironko district have rejected the mandatory lunch fees.
It came after the head teacher, Rosemary Negesa Gidongo informed the parents during their annual Parent’s Teacher’s Association Meeting-PTA that they had resolved that as one of the ways of improving performance in the Primary Leaving Examinations-PLE, parents contribute Shillings 50,000 for lunch for each learner per term.
She revealed that during last year’s PLE, they registered only 7 first grades, 55-second grades, and 6 third grades, saying that they have the potential to deliver better results but learners spend the entire day at school on empty stomachs, which affects their performance.
Andrew Madoi and Grace Nambozo, both parents say that Shillings 50,000 is too much, which many parents in villages can’t afford. They claim the mandatory lunch fees will force many parents to transfer their children from the school.
But Deo Mandala, another parent and the LC I chairperson of Bunyonde B cell welcomed the proposal, saying that this going to improve the performance.
He explains that parents can pay the lunch fees in installments for the entire term such that all their children can have lunch.
Isaiah Sasaga Wanzira, the Budadiri East Constituency Member of Parliament in Sironko district has appealed to parents to play their role of supporting their children in terms of paying fees on time and buying books, and uniforms.
He pledged to support some girls who completed PLE at the school by taking them to vocational courses such that they can create jobs.
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