Parents of Bishop Secondary School Mukono Protest New Fees Structure

Parents with children at Bishop Senior School-BSS, Mukono diocesan founded school have protested new fees structures and study program setup by the management ahead of resumption of none candidate classes.

The school management declared a shift from day to only boarding section for the entire school fraternity on Saturday and an increment in fees structures.

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The school with a population of over 2000 students has had about 70 percent of its population coming from home. Each student has been paying shillings 380, 000 for fees but with the new changes each student is required to pay 860, 000 and other requirements of 200, 000 regardless of the class.

John Mary Ssenkubuge a parents with two students in senior five says his restaurant and bar businesses failed after the outbreak of covid-19 and it is now heard for him to get money in a shortest period of time.

“Let the school emulate others that have chosen day arrangement than boarding, the school also lack enough necessary facilities to accommodate the current population and above all the decision was taken without our knowledge.”

Another parent, Sandra Namuli with three students at Bishop school says they are used to paying in installments the less fees but will happen to the increased amounts.

“The management should be considerate to some the parents; we don’t have capacity to meet the new requirements set up the school.”

According to the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Education and Sports for reopening of schools and implementation of COVID-19 standard operating procedures, schools are required to operate either as day or boarding but not both.

It also guides schools to engage parents/guardians to adopt flexible fees payment arrangements and also allow payments in appropriate installments but not directly increase fees.

Ffefeka Sserubogo a member on Parents Teachers Associations-PTA of Bishop School says the decision was taken by the school management and board of governors without other school stakeholder’s involvement.

“I have received several telephone calls over the weekend complaining about the new school changes but I am also green about them. I have however tried to consult responsible administrators about the issue and we are yet to meet as various stakeholders to find a solution.” Sserubogo says.

However, the School Head Teacher Robert Kyakulaga has insisted that parents should find ways of paying the required money and adhere to the new school program since the decisions were already taken.

Meanwhile, Rev. Geoffrey Kagoye the diocesan secretary for education, changes have made changes in all their academic institutions at all levels but they are ensuring that parents adhere to changes.

“Bishop school is located in town where there is high risk of covid-19 exposure especially when they maintain use public transport to school and yet majority of our parents lack capacity to hire private vehicles on a daily basis.” Rev. Kagoye says.

Other big schools such as Seeta High Schools, Namilyango Collage and Namagunga SS have maintained their study programs of boarding section and changes in fees structure will evolve where there is need.

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