In Mukono, law enforcement rescued a parent and his Primary Seven daughter from illegal detention by school administrators due to unpaid fees. Allegedly, Pherry Junior School detained eight P7 students, intending to coerce parents into settling balances post Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) on November 9. While some parents retrieved their children, others remained in the school’s custody.
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Joseph Kasirye, 30, recounted his detention after failing to clear a Shs2m balance immediately. Despite offering his motorcycle as security and signing a commitment letter, the school refused to release his 13-year-old daughter. Despite efforts by Mukono leaders, the school’s director, Sylvia Okita Nandutu, only released Kasirye and his daughter after Police intervention.
Another parent, speaking anonymously, disclosed paying Shs500,000 and signing agreements to free her child. School director Nandutu claimed it was the head teacher’s initiative to recover money, citing parental non-compliance and Kasirye’s alleged abusive language.
Uneb Executive Director Dan Odongo had previously advised schools to let fee defaulters sit exams, using a system to withhold results until fees are cleared. The incident underscores the sensitive balance between school finances and respecting the rights of students and parents.
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