Head teachers of secondary schools implementing the Universal Secondary Education [USE] program are crying foul over the delayed release of grants to their schools by the Education Ministry.
The head teachers claim that as a result of the delays they incur extra expenses in running their schools.
Several head teachers interviewed by the URN at Namboole stadium today during the on going senior one selection said that, the shillings 41,000 paid by government for each student is too little saying it should be increased to shillings 70,000.
USE schools are faced with challenges ranging from few classrooms, lack of books, chemicals to inadequate teaching staffs. Richard Omait the Head teacher of Namokola secondary schools said he was already feeling the pinch of opening schools without money yet there is need for scholastic materials.
Pointing at empty seats next to him, Omait said head teachers from schools like Palabek secondary schools and Padibe in Lamwo district had failed to turn up for the selection exercise because of lack of funds.
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Several other head teachers told URN that they had borrowd money from banks to continue operating their schools until government remits the money.
Eva Jingo the headmistress of Uganda Martyrs, Buyoga Secondary School in Masaka said banks have played a stopgap role for schools as they wait for the disbursement of USE grants.
However, the Assistant Commissioner for Education Francis Agura assured the schools head teachers that they would have money on their accounts before the start of the first term.
Agura explained that schools may receive up to 70percent remittances for senior two, senior three and senior four and the balance will be sent to their accounts after the first term head count.
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Agura also assured the head teachers that the Ministry had made a proposal to Ministry of finance to increase the schools fees grant but schools will have to wait until the proposal is approved.
