The Most Painful Question a Child can Ask a Parent

What the report says

Nile Post published a reflective business-and-family commentary about the recurring pressure of school-fee payments in Uganda, centered on a scene in which a schoolgirl asks her father whether she should still wear her uniform for reporting day because the fees are not yet fully available. The piece uses that moment to illustrate how many parents scramble for last-minute loans or advances even though school terms are predictable.

The article says the father tried several options, including calling a friend, asking his employer for a salary advance and attempting to borrow through a mobile app, before managing to secure part of the money. It presents this as a familiar situation for employees, traders and business owners who are trying to educate their children but wait too long to set funds aside. The publisher frames the issue as both a cash-flow challenge and, in many cases, a planning problem.

It argues that families should treat school fees as a regular obligation, saving small amounts throughout the term or from irregular income whenever money comes in. The commentary also notes that education costs can genuinely be too high for some households, and that raising income alone does not solve spending habits.

The piece further cautions parents against choosing schools for prestige if the fees repeatedly strain the household, saying a more affordable school may be a more sustainable option. It also stresses that children should not be made to feel guilty about unpaid balances, because financial pressure can affect their confidence and concentration at school.