Police in Mbarara has in custody a primary school head teacher in for unlawfully soliciting for money from parents yet he runs a UPE school.
The suspect is Jolly Tumwebaze, the Head Teacher at Kabingo One Primary School in Nyakayojo Division. She was arrested after reportedly sending pupils home for failure to pay school dues, yet it is supposed to be free. According to parents, every pupil in the lower classes at the school was asked to pay 30,000 Shillings while those in upper classes were paying 35,000 shillings. This is against the law.
Tumwebaze’s arrest was allegedly sanctioned by the Resident District Commissioner’s office after a group of parents called for government intervention.
Emmy Katera Turyabagyenyi, the Mbarara Deputy Resident District Commissioner says his office received several complaints from concerned citizens, and that much as payments may be allowed under the Universal Primary Education and Universal Secondary Education programmes, the school authorities are not allowed to send pupils away from school.
Turyabagyenyi warned that the practice is not acceptable but also appealed to parents to always honor the promises they make especially when it comes to supplementing the efforts of the government.
However, the suspect says the money was collected in the implementation of a decision by the school management which was also endorsed by parents at a parent's general meeting. Adding that the confusion is driven by a small section of parents who do not want to contribute towards the welfare of their children.
Samson Kasasira the Rwizi Regional Police Spokesperson says Tumwebaze is being held at Mbarara Central Police Station as investigations into the matter continue.
