Parliament to Review Tax Regime for Private Schools, Speaker Oboth Pledges

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Marksons Oboth has announced that the legislature will review the current tax regime affecting private educational institutions across the country. The commitment was made during a meeting with a delegation from the National Private Educational Institutions Association–Uganda (NPEIA), led by Igara East MP Michael Mawanda and association chairperson Hasadu Kirabira.

Addressing the delegation, Oboth emphasized that private schools function as essential public service providers rather than purely commercial enterprises. He noted that proprietors are not asking for handouts, but rather a predictable, supportive, and conducive operational environment to foster human resource development.

The Speaker expressed strong support for the association’s push for a streamlined tax system to eliminate overlapping and uncoordinated levies imposed by both central and local governments. He directed NPEIA leadership to compile a comprehensive breakdown of multiple taxation areas to facilitate formal parliamentary intervention.

During the discussions, Kirabira presented striking figures highlighting the immense scale of private education in Uganda. Private providers operate virtually all pre-primary institutions, 73 percent of primary schools, and 75 percent of secondary schools, alongside 17 private universities. Despite catering to millions of students, the sector faces heavy fiscal pressures, including high tariffs on computers and laboratory equipment, limited access to affordable credit through the Uganda Development Bank, and burdensome local government charges.

To alleviate these challenges, NPEIA proposed four key reforms: introducing a harmonized special education tax, waiving duties on educational inputs, establishing a ring-fenced credit line at the Uganda Development Bank, and reviving a national public-private partnership framework. Speaker Oboth commended the private sector for expanding learning capacity and promised that their concerns would be integrated into upcoming legislative deliberations.

Read more details on the Parliament of Uganda.