Raising school fees torments many Africans. Some expect the Catholic Church to do more to help скачать в хорошем качестве

Raising school fees torments many Africans. Some expect the Catholic Church to do more to help

(8 Jun 2025) FOR CLEAN VERSION SEE STORY NUMBER: 4581558 RESTRICTION SUMMARY: ASSOCIATED PRESS Kampala, Uganda – 26 May 2025 1. Various of students at Uganda Martyrs Secondary School Namugongo 2. Various of sculptures in school compound 3. SOUNDBITE (English) Vincent Ssegane, director of studies in charge of examinations at Uganda Martyrs school: ++PART OVERLAID BY SHOTS 2 & 4++ “It started as a community school, started by the parish priests of Uganda Martyrs catholic parish Namugongo way back in 1967. And we are told, what we read from the archives, it started with 24 students and two teachers. We have now a total of 4,600 plus students, that's the population.” 4. Various of students ASSOCIATED PRESS Kampala, Uganda – 6 June 2025 5. Various of church 6. Various of Richard Kizito, metal worker, working 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Richard Kizito, metal worker and parent of Catholic school pupil: ++PART OVERLAID BY SHOTS 5, 6 & 8++ “Formerly we (did) not used to pay fees, especially when I was young, yeah we were not paying. Now I am 44 but I remember when I was like in P3, P2, P4, I used to at those schools publicly, you are going for free, they use to receive books for free, pens and pencils for free but right now we pay 100%. But at least according to the situation today, if they can manage to pay half or some of half payment of the fees, then provide them with requirements at least we would feel free as parents. You know I am talking on behalf of other parents however much I can manage. It is not because they don’t want, they want, but they cannot afford. Even I have one of them at Wampewo. It is not a catholic school. It is because of the challenges of fees. I cannot manage all the school fees for all my kids I have.” 8. Various of metal workers ASSOCIATED PRESS Kampala, Uganda – 26 May 2025 9. Wide of school block at Uganda Martyrs 10. Close of painting 11. SOUNDBITE (English) Vincent Ssegane, director of studies in charge of examinations at Uganda Martyrs school: ++PART OVERLAID BY SHOT 10, 12 & 13++ “A school like this one, it has several cost centers. Look at the wage bill, for the teachers, feeding the students, maintaining these infrastructures, it is enormous. So, I think that one explains that rise and, of course, like you are intimating the rising cost of living and the hiking prices. The rate of inflation has an impact, great impact on the cost of education because education is a service.” 12. Various of students 13. Mid of teachers STORYLINE: Rising school fees in countries like Uganda are tormenting many parents, some of whom expect the Catholic Church to do more to help. Across Africa, Catholic schools have long been a pillar of affordable but high-quality education, especially for poor families. Their appeal remains strong even with competition from other nongovernmental investors now eying schools as enterprises for profit. The growing trend toward privatization is sparking concern that the Catholic Church may price out the people who need uplifting. One of the most expensive private schools in Kampala, the Catholic-run Uganda Martyrs’ Secondary School Namugongo, maintains a policy of “zero balance” when a child reports to school at the beginning of a three-month term. This means students must be fully paid by the time they report to school. Tuition at the school was once as high as $800 but has since dropped to about $600 as enrollment doubled to nearly 5,000, according to the school's deputy headmaster. "And of course the Catholic tradition of the school," he added. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...