Led by Derrick Ssengendo, a parent to a senior two student argues that the school should have been considerate to parents because of the negative impact of Covid-19 on the economy since 2020.
A section of
parents of St Mary's College Kisubi-SMACK are angry over the increment of
school fees for continuing students.
The parents accuse
the school of defying the government directive against increasing school fees for continuing students.
Derrick Ssengendo, a parent to a senior two student argues that the
school should have been considerate to parents because of the negative
impact of Covid-19 on the economy since 2020.
Ssengendo says that he had paid full fees for the first term of 2020 when his
son had reported for S.1. The term was cut short, almost a month after reporting,
in March following the outbreak of Covid-19 in Uganda.
He says that he expected the school not to charge parents afresh.
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In a circular dated January 3, 2022, the Headteacher Brother Deodati
Aganyira informed parents and guardians about the revised school fees structure
for the various classes in the first term. He
noted that the Board of Directors met on Wednesday, December 22, 2021, and approved
the new fees structure.
According to the structure, senior two students will pay 2,348,000 Shillings, S.3 2,618,000, and S.4 2,643,000 Shillings.
Although the
education ministry ordered schools not to charge S.3 learners who
were automatically promoted from S.2 because their first term was cut short in June last
year, Aganyira says the learners will however pay 885,500 Shillings for
all delegated services and running costs.
These services and costs include contributions towards electricity, water,
legal fees, insurance, and clearing the 3.4 Billion Shillings loan secured
for the construction of the A' level block which was completed in 2018.
However,
some parents of S.3 learners are not happy with the explanation.
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Aganyira says fees were adjusted to also cater for the two extra
weeks added in this year's first term, amounting to 325,000 Shillings for
meals and an additional shillings 75,000 towards emergency repairs to the
water plant in Nabinonya.
He explains
that it costs an average of shillings 160,000 to feed a student per week
because the school provides five meals a day.
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Aganyira says SMACK has maintained support from the government, parents, old
students, and the Brothers of Christian Instruction mainly in the United Kingdom
and the United States of America.
However, in
recent years, the school has had to rely heavily on school fees collections
due to dwindled funding from particularly the brothers in the USA who
have retired.
He also added
that while the government pays salaries for 49 of the 80 teachers, parents
have to cater for salaries of the remaining 31 teachers plus the 90
non-teaching staff.
