Private schools implementing the Universal Secondary Education-USE program are threatening to close because of government's failure to remit funds. Government has not released a penny since the beginning of this year to cater for hundreds of students who are enrolled in both private and government aided schools under USE.
Private schools have been worst hit by the crisis caused by none remittance of funds from Ministry of Education. In Gulu, the management of Alliance High School and Trinity College that are implementing the program, say the situation has reached unbearable level and they are considering closing down.
Selesius Ochan, the Head teacher Alliance High School says that they have not received a penny since the beginning of the year for the 633 students under the USE program. Ochan says the situation at the school is alarming as various teachers have abandoned teaching because the school has been unable to pay them.
He says that they only received four million shillings in March which was arrears for last year and used it for paying teachers. Ochan says that they have not paid their teachers for the months of May, June and July. He says that they had resolved as private schools to close down by Monday 16th July to force government to release the funds but they received a text message from the ministry of education telling them not to close down.
Ochan however says they are giving government up to Friday to remit some money or else they close down.
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The situation is not different at Trinity College where the management says they have been forced to depend on creditors because of government’s failure to remit funds. Michael Otika, the Deputy Headmaster Trinity college says the school has not received USE funds since the beginning of the year to cater for the 702 students who are registered there.
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Augustine Watmon, the Bursar Trinity College says that they have accumulated debts as a result of getting scholastic materials on credit. Government is expected to remit shillings 47,000 shillings for each student enrolled under USE. Hundreds of students are likely to be affected once the schools go ahead to implement threats to close their operations.
