Minister Kyofatogabye Warns Headteachers Against Inflating Enrolment Figures

What the report says

State Minister for Kampala and Nakaseke Central MP Joseph Kabuye Kyofatogabye has warned headteachers in Nakaseke against inflating enrolment figures to secure more government support. According to Nile Post, he told leaders of government primary and secondary schools, along with school management committees, that administrators who deliberately submit false pupil numbers for extra resources will be held accountable.

Kyofatogabye said some schools are reporting more learners than they actually have in order to attract additional funding, teachers and other support. He said he would not protect any headteacher found to have misled government, and urged schools to correct the practice before enforcement action is taken. He also discouraged the arrest and handcuffing of teachers, arguing that such treatment damages respect for the profession.

The minister also raised the issue of school feeding and operational costs, calling for discussions involving parents and management committees on reasonable contributions. He suggested that a contribution of Shs130,000 in secondary schools could cover feeding and related needs, while stressing that such payments should not lead to learners being sent home because they are not mandatory.

School leaders at the meeting said underreporting and overreporting are tied to staffing gaps and the cost of running schools. They called for clearer national guidelines on staffing and contributions, with some suggesting Parliament should approve standardised fees. The exchange highlights a broader policy tension in Uganda between accurate reporting, school funding formulas and the pressure on schools to meet daily operating costs.