education 29 September 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Apac schools face crisis as council bans 'illegal' fees, parents and headteachers protest
Apac Municipality Council's crackdown on unauthorized school charges and illegal boarding facilities has drawn sharp criticism from headteachers and parents, who argue that the move will cripple already underfunded government primary schools. The ban risks undermining crucial PTA levies that supplement meager government funding, impacting everything from security to teacher salaries. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/headteachers-parents-protest-apac-council-s-crackdown-on-illegal-school-charges-5612934
Apac Municipality Council’s recent directive to ban unapproved school fees and close unauthorized boarding facilities in government-aided primary schools has ignited a firestorm of protest. School administrators and School Management Committee (SMC) members argue that the Universal Primary Education (UPE) system is severely underfunded, forcing schools to rely on parental contributions to meet operational costs.
Public primary schools in the municipality receive an annual capitation grant of approximately Shs20,000 per pupil. This minimal sum is expected to cover a wide range of expenses, from administrative costs and facility maintenance to co-curricular activities and basic scholastic materials. To bridge this significant gap, schools have historically depended on Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) levies, typically ranging from Shs30,000 to Shs50,000 per pupil.
These voluntary contributions are vital for essential services such as paying security guards, cooks, and support staff, as well as funding infrastructure projects like pit latrines and classroom desks. Headteachers warn that without these funds, many schools will be forced to scale back operations. Some institutions have already laid off non-teaching staff and suspended critical development projects due to the financial strain.
The ban also affects informal boarding arrangements, which were established to provide additional study time for candidates and reduce long commutes. The closure of these facilities has led to reduced instructional hours at some schools.
While some parents have welcomed the crackdown, citing concerns about financial transparency, others fear a decline in educational standards and teacher morale. Education experts caution that prohibiting community-led funding without adequate state subsidies could lead to a deterioration of education quality and exacerbate inequalities.
Apac Municipality Mayor Bonny McClean Odongo clarified that the council is targeting only unauthorized levies, not all school contributions. He stated that fees for utilities like water and electricity are permissible, but those for development or teacher motivation require explicit ministry approval. Municipal education officials emphasized that any agreed-upon parent contributions must be officially vetted and approved by the Ministry of Education and Sports to be considered legal.