Lawyers and officials from the Initiative for Social and Economic Rights (ISER) have petitioned the court to direct Minister of Education and Sports Janet Kataha Museveni to exercise her mandate to regulate tuition fees and non-tuition requirements. They say as schools reopened, most of the parents have been complaining about the hike of school fees and exorbitant school requirements.

Despite the Ministry of Education's call to schools, to desist from hiking schools fees, most parents this academic term have had to part with hefty payout to schools at all levels.
 
 The parents we interacted with declined to show their faces on camera, indicated that they have been forced to shift to government schools, due to the hefty tuition fees and requirements such as reams of paper and cartridges among others in the private schools.

“I could not afford the requirements of some private schools. The requirements cost more than the school fees,” a parent told NTV.

“Some of the requirements were not necessary like teachers’ SACCO fees. How can I contribute to the development of your teachers?” Another parent said.
 
 These parents say that schools have introduced extra levies in the fees structure, compared to previous academic terms disguised under development fees.
 
 “Most of the schools are saying that if you cannot afford the school, try elsewhere,” a parent says.
 
In light of this, lawyers led by Michael Aboneka and Andrew Karamagi together with education activists from Initiative for Social and Economic Rights(ISER) have petitioned the High Court in Kampala seeking orders to compel the Education Minister to exercise her mandate, regulate tuition fees, ban excessive school requirements, with learners only taking personal items.
 
 “On the background of COVID-19 where parents are struggling with money, the Ministry and government as a whole should come in. How do you pay school fees and on top of that bring the reams to print your tests,” Lawyer Micheal Aboneka says.
 
 The lawyers and educational activists say they have also drafted a bill to send to Parliament so that the Education Sector can be fully regulated instead of being monetised.
 
 “The bill seeks that there are caps beyond which no school should charge for the education of a learner,” Lawyer Andrew Karamagi says.
 
 Under this bill lawyers want the government to protect some sectors of the economy such as health and education.
“The most advanced or fairly matured free-market economies, governments step up and seek to protect certain sectors which are vital for the public good,” Karamagi says
 
 The bill also states penalties for schools that violate the stipulations put in place by the education sector, as it is an essential service.
 
 Since the reopening of schools, the Ministry of Education has warned schools against hiking tuition fees. It is unclear how far the ministry has gone in controlling those who violate the warning. The ministry is yet to pronounce itself on the matter.