Western Equatoria urges schools not to send learners home over fees

YAMBIO – The Western Equatoria State Minister of General Education and Instruction, Gibson Bullen Wande, has urged schools across the state not to send learners home due to unpaid school fees, noting that many parents are currently struggling with economic hardship.

Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, Hon. Wande appealed to school administrators and headteachers to show understanding and flexibility by allowing parents and guardians to pay school fees in instalments instead of forcing learners out of class.

“Many families are facing serious financial challenges at the moment. Sending children home because of school fees only affects their learning and future. I encourage schools to allow parents to pay gradually,” Wande said.

The minister also advised parents to make use of school bank accounts where available, saying this system can help ensure transparency and make it easier for parents to deposit fees whenever they are able.

According to Wande, sending learners home during school hours disrupts the learning process because the missed lessons are often difficult to recover.

“When a child is sent home in the middle of the school day, they miss important lessons. Education requires consistency, and once a learner misses classes it becomes hard to catch up,” he explained.

He further called on parents and guardians to continue cooperating with school authorities by paying school fees gradually as they work through the current economic challenges affecting many households.

The minister also expressed concern over the decline in school admissions in some parts of Western Equatoria State this year, attributing the trend partly to the increase in school fees in certain institutions.

“We have noticed that the number of new admissions has reduced in some schools. One of the reasons is the increase in school fees, which is making it difficult for some parents to enroll their children,” he said.

Despite the challenges, the Ministry of General Education and Instruction says it remains committed to improving access to education and ensuring that learners stay in school.

Meanwhile, Wande announced that the results for the Primary Eight examinations are expected to be released later this week, urging candidates and parents to remain patient as the final processes are being completed.