Africa-Press – Uganda. School head teachers and the Kibuku Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Eva Nalongo Kwesiga have clashed over the Uganda National Examination Board [UNEB] examination registration fees.
The normal registration fees for UPE is Shs34, 000, UCE is Shs164, 000 and UACE is Shs186, 000, according to Uneb’s decreed on April 20, warning to fine Shs40m for schools that hike the charges.
“I had received overwhelming complaints from parents that most of the government aided primary schools had levied exorbitant fees on the registration contrary to the official UNEB fees structure,” Kwesiga said.
In some primary schools, authorities had imposed an additional amount exceeding Shs20, 000 which head teachers said was for administrative purposes, but the RDC insisted that the schools had no justification to increase examination fees.
Buseta Primary School Samuel Kyaide who also doubles as the Kibuku District Unatu chairperson said “that the extra fees are usually given to service providers to undertake the registration of candidates on behalf of the district.”
But the district’s secretary for health and education, Augustine Moleka Majanga claimed only Shs15, 000 is utilized.
“The Shs5, 000 remains with the head teacher as his/her facilitation,” Majanga observed on Tuesday.
The issue caused a standoff until it was resolved that parents should not contribute excesses.
“Let’s not put a huge burden to the parent,” RDC Kwesiga observed highlighting that the State committed to meeting the costs of candidate registration in government aided institutions.
In agreement, the District Education Officer (DEO) Christopher Wamika emphasized that any extra costs can only be allowed with approval from parents and the education department.
“Let us just swallow it since these head teachers do hectic work. So, the Shs5, 000 will enable them to be facilitated for the good of this exercise,” he suggested, in line with the proposal by Kibuku LC5 chairman Mohammed Nakeba who urged the head teachers to work in unison with the parents before deciding on critical issues.
On her part, UNEB spokesperson Jennipher Kalule warned schools against misrepresenting the Board by being exorbitant.
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
