Several government-aided schools in Uganda have received their third-term capitation grants nearly a month after reopening, easing weeks of financial strain caused by the delay. The funds were credited to school accounts at the end of last week, according to several headteachers who spoke to Uganda Radio Network. This development has brought relief to schools that were struggling to meet basic operational needs.
The delay had left schools struggling to meet basic operational needs, particularly after the government banned Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) contributions. At Buvuma College in Buvuma District, headteacher Robinah Nakakande said the school had been operating without funds since the beginning of the term. The school had been unable to raise money through PTA contributions and was therefore left without an alternative source of revenue.
The release of the funds has relieved the pressure on the school, particularly as national examinations approach. Nakakande warned that a further delay would have left the school in a difficult situation at a critical time of the academic year. The delay also strained relationships between schools and their suppliers, with suppliers becoming increasingly reluctant to provide goods and services on credit.
A headteacher in Kampala, who requested anonymity, said suppliers had become increasingly reluctant to provide goods and services on credit because of uncertainty over when schools would receive their funds. Schools had previously relied on suppliers to provide goods and services at the beginning of each term, with payments made once government funds were released.
The headteachers also indicated that the latest allocation was based on physical headcounts conducted at the end of last year rather than the most recent data in the Education Management Information System (EMIS). EMIS is the Ministry of Education and Sports’ digital platform for tracking learners and educational institutions and has been promoted as a tool for improving the accuracy of resource allocation.
Responding to the concerns, Dr Denis Mugimba, the Ministry of Education and Sports spokesperson, said the ministry releases capitation funds at once and that delays experienced by some schools or districts could be attributed to other factors. Mugimba explained that funds released in the second quarter are intended to support schools through the third term.
Capitation grants remain the primary source of operational funding for government-aided schools under Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE). Under the current funding formula, each government-aided school receives a fixed baseline allocation of Shs1.35 million. Additional funding is allocated based on enrolment, with approximately 20,000 Shillings provided per primary learner annually.
Key points
- The delayed capitation grants had caused financial strain on government-aided schools in Uganda.
- The funds were released based on physical headcounts conducted at the end of last year.
- The capitation grants are the primary source of operational funding for government-aided schools under UPE and USE.
