A disagreement has emerged between government officials and church leaders in Nansana Municipality over the continued collection of fees and other payments from learners attending government schools.The dispute came to the fore during a community baraza held at the newly constructed Nansana headquarters, where residents of Nabweru Division raised concerns about the demands being made on parents in government-aided schools.The meeting was attended by Kampala Minister Hajjat Minsa Kabanda, Wakiso RDCs Coordinator Justine Mbabazi, Nansana RDC Charles Lwanga, Nabweru Division Mayor Robert Maseruka Mutte, religious leaders and other local government officials.
Ntebe Deanery Dean, Venerable Canon Emmanuel Sewanyana, criticised the manner in which the head teacher of Kazo Primary School was reportedly handled, saying the incident left church leaders feeling disrespected.“The way the head teacher was handled was very bad. As a church, we felt that he was greatly humiliated,” Sewanyana said.He also questioned the government’s approach to the issue of school fees, arguing that officials should first understand the financial difficulties faced by schools before directing them to stop collecting money from parents.According to Sewanyana, the funding provided by government is not sufficient to cover all the operational needs of schools. He pointed to the funds allocated for secondary school learners and teachers, saying the amounts are inadequate to keep the institutions running effectively.The church leader warned that continued disagreements over funding could strain the relationship between government and religious institutions that own or manage schools.“We need trust between government and the churches managing these schools.
If the relationship cannot work, then we may have to take back our schools and operate them without government,” he said.However, Nansana RDC Charles Lwanga took a firm position against demanding fees from parents in government schools.Lwanga warned school administrators that continued collection of unauthorised fees could lead to arrests, stressing that children should not be denied access to education because their parents cannot make payments.“If you do not stop asking parents for money, we shall arrest you. Government does not allow you to chase children from government schools,” Lwanga warned.He called for greater cooperation among government officials, school administrators, parents and religious leaders to find lasting solutions to the challenges facing schools.Kampala Minister Hajjat Minsa Kabanda also backed the position that children in government schools should not be sent away for failure to pay fees.“There should be no chasing away of a child who is in a government school,” Kabanda said.She nevertheless encouraged parents to contribute towards their children’s meals while at school, noting that parents also have a role to play in supporting the education of their children.
The baraza also provided residents with an opportunity to raise concerns about other government programmes. Among the issues raised was the Parish Development Model (PDM), with one woman alleging that some local council chairpersons had shared PDM funds among themselves while some intended beneficiaries were still waiting for assistance.Meanwhile, the Deputy Town Clerk of Nansana Municipality said authorities had already written to school administrators and provided guidance on the procedures to follow when handling education-related matters.Local leaders welcomed the community meeting, saying such engagements allow residents to directly present their concerns to government officials and seek answers on issues affecting their communities.The disagreement over school fees is expected to continue drawing attention as government and church leaders seek to balance the policy of free access to government education with the financial challenges faced by schools.
