LEADERS WARN TEACHERS IN GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS AGAINST CHARGING FEES ON LEARNERS

Teachers matching during world teachers` day celebrations for Gulu city held at Vanguard Primary School. photo by Desire Alimocan
 
By Desire Alimocan

Gulu City
 
The Gulu city leaders have cautioned school administrators of government aided primary schools against charging fees on the learners a practice which they say is making some parents who can not afford to pay such extra charges to keep their children at home.

While addressing the teachers during the World teachers` day celebration at Vanguard Primary school in Gulu City on October 5, 2025, the Gulu City Education Officer, Mr. Erwenyo Richard appealed to the teachers to stop asking for money from parents to have their children stay at school.

“I have known and said that U.P.E, U.S.E and U.P.O.L.E.T policy requires that there must be no payment of fees, I want to repeat this again, no payment of fees in the schools, and that is my stand. Any payment of fees in the school is illegal, whether you call it tuition, whether you call it what, it is illegal,” he explained.

Teachers of various schools during the teacher’s day celebration at Vanguard Primary
School on October 5, 2024, in Gulu City. Photo by Desire Alimocan.

The deputy Resident City Commissioner of Gulu, Kamba Ahmed discouraged the teachers from the act, because demanding for fees from the learners is denying them free education which is not good for a society because education drives development.

He said, “the first cherishable thing we should admit and respond to is to enable everyone get education, then we shall be in a better community, that is why our president has of recent risen up to say no! no charges in public schools. This is not for the purpose of disregarding others, it is actually a case of affirmative action, we admit in communities we have those who can not afford. I call upon everyone here and others out there, to stand up and rise up to this reality, the reality that education should be accessed by everyone, including children of the poor.”

The Gulu City speaker, Alima Joyce Reeney urged the teachers to respect policies so as to avoid inconveniences such as arrests that may come out of denying the learners free education.

“As teacher, let us also learn to respect the laws that we have in place especially the policies that govern the operations of the schools, I believe that all communications that come from the ministry, are for the betterment of this nation. I know there are a lot of gaps but this country can not development in one day, that is why every time you see laws are being amended, policies are being changed, because of the challenges that are registered. So, I pray that let us also learn to respect the constitution and other rules that come from the ministry, to avoid a lot of problems,” Alima added.

The government of Uganda recognizes education as a basic human right and continues to strive to provide free primary education to all children in the country through Universal Primary Education, Universal Secondary Education and Universal Post O’Level Education and Training.
 
 

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