education 18 May 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Ugandan Schools Overcharge Parents for UNEB Exam Fees, Defying Government Limits
Parents in Uganda are questioning exorbitant fees charged by schools for national examination registration, with allegations of schools pocketing extra money beyond the official UNEB rates. The Ministry of Education insists such charges are illegal, especially for government-sponsored students. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/education/uneb-fees-schools-defy-govt-limit-cheat-parents-4280146
Parents across Uganda are raising concerns over significantly inflated fees for Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) registration, with many accusing schools of overcharging and pocketing the difference. The disparities in fees, even for students in the same national examination cycle but different schools, have sparked public outcry.
Former Kampala deputy Lord Mayor, Doreen Nyanjura, highlighted the issue after supporting three Senior Four candidates who presented registration fee figures ranging from Shs250,000 to Shs400,000. “Uneb registration tuition fees for Senior Four candidates, how much money is it exactly? Is the money set by the schools or Uneb? How come each school has a different figure?” she questioned, echoing the sentiments of many struggling parents.
According to UNEB spokesperson Jennifer Kalule, the official registration fees are Shs34,000 for PLE, Shs164,000 for Senior Four, and Shs186,000 for Senior Six. Kalule suggested schools might have “different administrative arrangements” that lead to higher charges.
While the National Private Educational Institutions Association chairperson, Hasadu Kirabira, criticized schools for overcharging, he acknowledged that some extra fees might be necessary to cover administrative costs like internet usage and photography associated with the e-registration system. He recommended that schools clearly separate these additional charges from the official UNEB fees.
However, Jane Frances Atima from the Directorate of Education Standards at the Ministry of Education stated that any additional fees charged by schools are illegal, particularly for students under the Universal Primary Education (UPE) and Universal Secondary Education (USE) programs, as the government covers these costs.
UNEB has urged schools to expedite the registration process before the May 31 deadline to avoid surcharges, which can range from 50 to 100 percent for late registrations. In 2023, UNEB collaborated with the police to address similar complaints regarding extra exam fees.
This article is based on information from the Daily Monitor.