High Court Judge Philip Odoki has directed both the Ministry of Education and Education Activists to meet, sit and have a discussion on how the Ministry can fulfil its mandate on regulating school fees.

Last month, education activists petitioned the Court seeking redress over alleged failure by the government to regulate school fees.

The Activists including Lawyers Micheal Aboneka, Àndrew Karamagi and the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights(ISER) want Court orders compelling the ministry to exercise her mandate and regulate School fees, ban school requirements and also put in place a deterrent legal framework against discrimination of pregnant girls and nursing mothers.

They want the regulation of School fees to include International Institutions of Uganda.

They argue that the mandatory solicitation of school requirements and any other non_cash contribution at all the four levels of education in Uganda has to be banned because they are not directly related to learning as per the approved curriculum.

“If the two parties fail to agree, then they should report back to Court on Tuesday next week and have the case heard on its merit,” High Court Judge Philip Odoki directed.

The Ministry’s Under Secretary, Irumba Roger Kaija contends that they have moved a Stage further in putting in place regulations. 

“In April/2021 a Committee of Technical Officers was constituted to draft statutory instruments to regulate fees and school charges payable from Pre_Primary to Post Secondary Institutions and that the Committee is in its final process of issuing them.