Private schools rule out closure due to fee stand-off

DAILY NEWS Reporter

 Deputy Secretary General of Tanzania Private Investors in Education (TAPIE), Mr Albert Katagira

OWNERS of private schools in the country have dispelled fears currently engulfing parents, guardians and students that their institutions will remain closed due to a stand-off with the government over the fee structure.

Instead, all schools will be opened as scheduled before, according to the Deputy Secretary General of Tanzania Private Investors in Education (TAPIE), Mr Albert Katagira, through a statement made available to the ‘Daily News’

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Mr Katagira wanted the public to ignore previous information that were even circulated by section of media, insisting that there was no any misunderstanding between private school owners and the government.

He said all government directives about school fees and other contributions through government circular number 4 of 2008 are right and it is the implementation of law and directives concerning how to run schools, directives that he said is clear and well known by school owners.

Mr Katagira elaborated that the government has set regulations and policies that schools owners should follow when they need to increase school fees to meet running costs.

“When a school owner wants to increase fees, regulations require him or her to sit with parents and explain to them the factors behind the move. Upon agreement, he/she must also consult school’s board who should inform the Commissioner of Education before the implementation of the new fees is effected,” he said.

Mr Katagira, who is also the Managing Director of Tusiime Schools Group, hailed the procedures set by the government, noting that they involved many stakeholders in education development in the country.

He urged all schools owners to follow them. The deputy secretary general also said that private schools owners commend the government’s effort to continue providing them with favourable environment to run their schools, which he noted will help the country produce competent people to man the various professions.

“I believe the government recognises contribution by the private sector in providing quality education which will enable students to be competent in global market ….we pledge to continue working closer with government in making sure that our children get education that will help our nation in future,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Katagira also commended the government for involving them in the Student Unit Cost Research for primary and secondary school students. He advised other schools’ owners to cooperate with the government consultant “who will be knocking at your doors’’ when seeking information to accomplish the research by providing them with relevant information.

“This information is crucial and will help the government and society to know the actual cost from public and private schools and this process will help to clear the rumours that government intend to set indicative price to private schools,” he observed.

Recently, the Tanzania Association of Managers and Owners of Non- Government Schools and Colleges (TAMONGSCO) threatened to suspend its operations in protest against the supposed ‘new fee structure that bars hike of fees.

The threat was fuelled by earlier announcement made by the government of barring private schools from hiking school fees for 2016 academic year noting that any fee increment must be approved by the Education Commissioner before it became effective.

The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education and Vocational Training, Professor Sifuni Mchome, is on record saying that the government will not bar them from increasing fees if they have justifiable reasons for the requested increments.