Education Ministry Moves to Scrap off PTA Allowances from Schools

By Serestino Tusingwire

Following various reports that a number of schools continue to levy unrealistic and prohibitive school fees thereby denying students their right to education, the ministry of education has intervened to curb the school fees hike.

One of the things the ministry thinks cause exorbitant fees in school is the issue of PTA Allowances.

According to statement released recently by the Permanent Secretary MoES Alex Kakooza, in government schools, PTA allowances to staff unlike salaries are not a right.

He argued that school fees should not be increased on account of increasing PTA allowances to staff.

In the same statement, Kakooza added that PTA allowances should also not be claimed in earlier beyond a school’s budget year.

Kakooza also warned that schools should distance themselves from hiring additional staff before putting staff on payroll to a full use.

“Headteachers are warned against employing additional staff before all the teachers on payroll have been assigned the minimum teaching load of 24 periods per week,” Kakooza said in a statement.

He therefore stated that, from now on, no school shall be allowed to increase school charges for whatever reasons without authorization from the ministry of Education.