PM Nabbanja warns UPE school heads against charging fees

Prime Minister Robinah Nabanja has warned school heads in UPE schools to desist from charging fees from parents in Kabale district.

The prime minister made the remarks while presiding over at a belated Women’s Day celebrations at Kyanamira playground, Kyanamira Sub-country in Kabale.

On March 8, Uganda joined the rest of the world in celebrating International Women’s Day under the theme, "Invest in women: Accelerate Progress; targeting economic disempowerment".

The constitution guarantees equal rights and opportunities for women and men, including the right to education, work, and political participation.

PM Nabbanja said before NRM came to power, there was no universal education in the country.

However, Nabbanja rued the increased cases of school dropout especially at primary level where learmers fail to join secondary level due to school heads demanding money from parents.

She adds that as a country they need future leaders calling on school heads to stop asking school fees from parents.

"We need future leaders like myself but students are dropping out of school so we request school heads to be aware,” Nabbanja said.

The premier said as government they change to ensure that by the time students leave schools, they are well skilled, adding that the government wants to ensure that even when a student doesn’t complete, they should be in position to sustain themselves.

Ms Catherine Ndamira, Woman MP for Kabale, appeed for government to ensure continued empowerment of women under different groups.

She said there was a need for health center III facilities in Kabale to be upgraded to health center IV level in order to reduce congestion.

Ndamira also called on government to fulfill presidential pledges that include construction of Mazimba bridge.

“Our health Center III facilities are in a sole state even some are in hard-to-reach areas to some extent that some women give birth while on the way but we stay strong as women of Kabale," she said.

"We request that if government can add us more ambulances. We also request government to upgrade all health centre III facilities to health centre IV.” Ndamira added.

The State Minister for Finance, Mr Henry Musasizi, applauded President Museveni for empowering the women.

Musasizi, who is also the Rubanda East MP in Kabale, said the NRM government has introduced woman emancipation in the country.

Uganda hosted the internal women’s day celebrations on 8th May 2024 in Katakwi district.