Kazo: Schools decry high commodity prices
Following the reopening of educational institutions across the country for the third term, uncertainty continues to loom over rising food prices.
Several schools; both private and government-aided in Kazo district have confessed that they are being challenged by food shortages.
Ezra Kagira, the director Buremba Junior School, a private school in Buremba Town Council, Kazo District said they are having a hard time maintaining all the learners at school due to food shortage.
“We have an enrollment of more than 300 pupils but we are finding a big challenge of maintaining the learners at school. Currently, the food is not enough but we have to persist,” said Kagira.
Kagira revealed that the school spends UGX170,000 on a single meal unlike in the past when they were spending UGX 70,000.
Kagira urged the parents to work hand in hand with them for the better of their children, even though the situation is tough.
Guston Katungye Bwesigye, the head teacher at Kyabahura 1 model Primary School, a government-aided school in Kazo Town council, says the situation forced them to increase school fees for especially the boarding section, but also he assures that they will pass through as the almighty is on their side.
“We buy 25 kilogrammes of posho at UGX 85,000 and yet previously we used to buy the same kilogrammes at UGX 35,000,” said Bwesigye.
An independent study by our reporter established that a kilogramme of maize flour spiked from UGX 2,000 to UGX 4,000, a bunch of matooke from UGX 10,000 to UGX 20,000 and a kilogramme of beans from UGX 3,000 to UGX 4,000.
Countrywide, the cost of food items such as maize flour, matooke, Irish potatoes, cooking oil, sugar, beans, salt and bread, among others, have been on the rise since the start of the year.
Pupils/Students, in private and public, primary and secondary schools resumed for the third term of the 2022/2023 academic session on Monday, September 5, 2022, and it is expected to end in December 2022.
