The Masaka District Education officer, Francis Ssekaddu, has issued a directive ordering parents to pay 2,000 shillings as lunch fees under the universal primary education (UPE) program.
During a teachers and parents meeting held on Monday at Kyamuliibwa Sub County headquarters, Sekaddu said that the decision to charge lunch fees stems from government's failure to remit sufficient funds to cater for lunch under the UPE program.
Ssekaddu argued that it would be difficult for teachers to teach hungry pupils and warned that any parent who fails to abide by the new directive would be forced to confine their children to their homes.
David Bbaale, chairman of districts council education committee, says that charging Lunch fees would help fill the gaps created after government scrapped off the schools facilitation grant.
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Concerned about the new directive, some parents forwarded the matter to the Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Teopista Senkungu.
Senkungu, immediately convened a meeting yesterday, during which she assured the parents that no pupil shall be sent back home for failure to pay lunch fees. She argued that the districts directive flouts President Museveni's recent pronouncement ordering schools not to charge lunch fees.
During a public rally held last month at Kyanamukaaka Sub County headquarters, President Museveni warned that school authorities who charge lunch fees would be charged in courts of law.
