The Inzuyamasaba has advised schools in Bugisu Region and beyond to utilize Capitation grants meant to help schools meet recurrent expenditure needs. There are thousands of complaints pertaining to the use of these funds where the grants received from the government enrich headteachers instead of promoting learning and improving performance in schools in the form of UCE, UACE, and PLE terminal performance.
The grants are meant to help schools meet recurrent needs in facilitating the teaching of sciences, procurement of learning aids and chalk, among other items, including paying teachers’ allowances to trigger improved teaching and performance. The spokesperson of Inzuyamasaba, Mr. Steven Masiga, says they have impeccable evidence of the misuse of Capitation funds in schools. As an institution of culture, they are working closely with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education and Sports and District Education Officers to ensure such advice does not continue. If allowed to persist, it will undermine education in the region. Inzuyamasaba considers education a very core issue, and they have a secretary for education to guide on matters of education in schools.
Mr. Masiga adds that the practice of misusing capitation grants by headteachers goes against the core objectives of the fund, which is to meet the expenditure needs of the school. However, the fund is instead used to meet the expenditure needs of the headteachers. Some headteachers are reportedly using capitation funds to order new cars for themselves, crossing the Nile. Inzuyamasaba rejects such misuse of funds.
The government releases capitation grants to both secondary and primary schools to help them meet recurrent expenditure needs on a termly basis. However, available research indicates misuse of the funds, with notable complaints coming from teachers and deputy headteachers. If this is not well addressed, it can manifest into a silent strike undermining performance in the region. About 5% of the funds allegedly go to witch doctors, where headteachers secure power to insulate themselves against transfers to certain schools.
The capitation grants vary, but on average, some schools get as high as 500 million per term, while rural secondary schools get around 30 million, and primary schools relatively get a smaller share. The capitation grants, once well-utilized, can enhance performance in schools since the fund comes in to supplement the meager collections in schools.
Culture and education move concomitantly, and Inzuyamasaba is maintaining very tight records on the expenditure of these funds. Bugisu needs doctors and engineers, and once these funds are put to the intended use, the region will realize this. On average, Bugisu receives over 50 billion in capitation grants per year to schools from the government to help primary and secondary schools meet school needs, as it is envisaged that schools don’t charge any school fees at all.
In recent times, the region is registering declining performance on account of love and greed for funds, as teachers consistently complain about missing out on Capitation payments. They claim headteachers “eat it alone.” Some schools equally underpay teachers in the form of facilitation, and there are also issues of delayed payments, even though the government sends this money on time. These allowances should be paid throughout the year, but instead, we get only two or even one month, a teacher who spoke on condition of anonymity stressed.
Some schools and headteachers were also commended for putting the capitation grants to the best use, and others are encouraged to borrow a leaf from such schools. Meanwhile, the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU) is in Bugisu region investigating the misuse of capitation grants and other issues in a number of secondary schools in Bugisu region.
