The Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) has requested UGX 30.2 billion in funding to take over 100 community and Non –non-government Organizations (NGO) founded secondary schools and another UGX 6.4 billion to grant aid to 100 primary schools, whose owners they say lack funds to manage these schools.
According to the Parliament Education committee, the Ministry of Education had received several requests from across the country to take over these secondary schools whose costs they estimated at UGX 300 million each, and UGX 64 Million For each primary school totaling up to UGX 36.3 billion since according to the Committee the funds were not budgeted for in the 2024/2025 national budget for the Ministry.
The committee made these remarks on April 22, 2024, while backing the Ministry’s request for Ugx. 100 billion additional budget for the rehabilitation of 200 primary schools across the country, and they noted that each school will be renovated at a cost of UGX 500 million.
“Almost 40% of government primary school structures are dilapidated which leaves the lives of learners at stake, and the ministry received several requests from across the country to take over the community and NGO secondary schools but this money was not available in the budget,” the committee said.
The committee added that the Ministry is also in need of another UGX 29.30 billion to facilitate and support secondary school games, adding that, only UGX 6 billion has been provided for in the Ministry’s 2024/2025 national budget.
On the other hand, the committee revealed that the Uganda National Examination Board (UNEB) is seeking an extra UGX 6.5 billion to cater for the provision of five meals daily, utilities, and basic health services to examiners and checkers during the marking of examinations as only 10.2 billion was provided for in the budget.
“The board was only allocated UGX 10.2 billion yet 16.2 billion was requested for, and it also requires another additional UGX 4.6 billion to enhance marking fees for our examiners, the rates paid to examiners as marking fees compared to their work is inadequate,” the committee reported.
The parliament committees are before parliament presenting Ministry budgets for approval for the financial year 2024/2025 national budget. So each committee is doing its best to have its Ministry allocated the requested funds to run their activities in the next financial year.