Mukono Schools Struggle with Accumulating Unpaid Fees as Exams Approach

Private educational institutions across Mukono District are grappling with significant financial strain caused by mounting unpaid school fees. Administrators report that some former students have left significant balances unresolved for more than 15 years, putting heavy pressure on institutional operations that rely on timely tuition payments.

According to Mr Jonathan Mawanda, head teacher of St Stephen’s Senior Secondary School, the institution currently retains Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) results for several former students who departed without clearing their accounts. While some individuals eventually return years later to settle their dues and retrieve their documents, the ongoing delay complicates school budgeting.

Similarly, Hilton High School head teacher Mr Gordon Katimbo noted that while institutions often accommodate parents through flexible instalment arrangements, many fail to honour these commitments. This friction occasionally leads to community solidarity, as seen recently at Seeta High School’s Mbalala campus where parents contributed Shs3 million to help a candidate clear her balance after her family faced severe business setbacks.

Amid these financial tensions, the Mukono Resident District Commissioner, Ms Fatuma Ndisaba Nabitaka, issued a stern warning to administrators. She cautioned that any school leaders blocking registered candidates from sitting national examinations over fee arrears would face immediate arrest and prosecution. This warning follows a recent incident where four administrators from Lorretoh Senior Secondary School were arrested over unfulfilled candidate registrations despite collecting fees.

Sector observers note that these financial challenges are particularly pronounced because private investors dominate the region’s education landscape. Government statistics show that private institutions account for over 82 percent of primary schools and 91 percent of secondary schools in Mukono District. Read more about this development in the Daily Monitor.