Over 150 private secondary schools under Universal Secondary Education program in greater Masaka Region, have cancelled Monday’s start of end of term examinations in their schools over delayed disbursement USE funds.
The affected private schools are from Masaka, Lwengo, Rakai, Sembabule, Lyantonde, Kalungu and Bukomansimbi districts.
In 2007, Government signed a memorandum of understanding with private secondary schools in the country to enroll students under Universal secondary education to address the increased number of students. Government is supposed to pay forty seven thousand shillings per student every term.
On Monday morning, over 50 head teachers and directors of private schools under USE programme convened a crisis meeting at Blessed Sacrament Kimanya in Masaka and resolved to cancel giving students end of term examinations due to funding shortfall. The head teachers claim that they last received 60% of the USE funds in 2007.
David Mukasa, the chairperson of Masaka Private Secondary Schools Association says they decided to cancel examinations to show government that without the USE funds, they cannot operate.
Mukasa, who is also the King David High School head teacher, says they wrote to the education and finance ministries informing them of their closure due to delayed funding earlier this year.
As a result, Mukasa says the finance ministry told them in July that the funds had been disbursed to their respective districts. He however explains that when they went to their districts to get the funds, the Chief Administrative Officers told them the money had not been sent to them.
Mukasa now says they have resolved not to give students exams because they have no money to print them.
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Fred Katende, the chairperson Sembabule Private Schools Association says students will not sit end of term examinations due to delayed funds. Katende, who is also head teacher Uganda Martyrs Secondary School, says that 9 teachers have abandoned his school because of delayed salaries.
Katende, who says his school is demanding for about 7million shillings, accuses government of undermining the performance of his private schools.
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Abdul Kabugo Mugendawalala, the Director of Kilimya Vocational Secondary school, which has over 300 students, says government owes his school over 20million shillings. Kabugo says the meeting has resolved that the affected schools order the students to return home. He explains that the schools will use midterm exams to assess students.
Kabugo, who is also the chairperson South Buganda Private secondary school directors association says they have also written a letter, which they are taking to the Ministry of Education to consider canceling the memorandum they signed.
Kabugo also says they want police to investigate discrepancies surrounding the disbursement of USE funds.
Babirye Kabanda, a parent in Masaka says the decision by the teachers to cancel examinations will affect the education standards. Kabanda wants government to immediately pay the affected schools so that the students sit their end of term examinations.
Aggrey Kibenge, the education ministry spokesperson could not be reached for a comment.
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