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POLICY AND OPERATIONAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF UNIVERSAL SECONDARY EDUCATION (USE) 1.
Definition of Universal Secondary Education
(a)
USE is defined as the
equitable provision of quality post-primary education and training to all
Ugandan students who have successfully completed primary leaving examination.
Universal Secondary Education (USE) covers lower secondary education (Senior
one to Senior four) (b)
Affirmative
action will be applied using an agreed selection criteria to take care of
children from the most deserving areas and groups (e.g. children with
disabilities). 2.
Implementation Modality
(a)
USE will be voluntary
in the initial stages in a sense that not all schools will participate and
students will be free to join a school under USE or opt out of the programme. (b)
USE
will be implemented in phases
starting with only senior one and to other classes up to senior four in
subsequent years. (c)
The policy will target
those pupils who will complete P7 and qualify in school year 2006. (d)
Double shift teaching
is proposed for selected large enrolment schools as a cost effective measure. 3.
Selection of Target Students
(a)
Schools charging less than Ug.Shs.75,000/- per term per student will
participate in the USE programme at the
initial stage; (b)
Pupils scoring aggregates ranging from 4 to 32 in the Academic Year
2006 PLE Examination will be eligible for the USE programme[1]; (c)
The selection criterion
for entry to post primary education and training will remain as has been
before the inception of USE. MoES will maintain the UNEB assessment i.e. pupils scoring
aggregates ranging from 4 to 32 in academic year will be eligible for the USE
program. (d)
There shall be
exceptions if a sub-county has Government school (s) in the following
categories of: only Girls’ School; only Boys’ School; or only have a high
cost day/boarding mixed school. In
such areas, Government has selected a deserving community or private school(s)
to participate in the USE Program depending on the population of eligible
students in the sub-county. 4.
Financial Implications
(a)
USE
will cover non-boarding expenses for students enrolling in participating
Government-aided schools enrolling P7 leavers. (b)
Government
will pay a threshold/fixed grant of Shs. 5,000,000/= to every participating
Government school per academic term and a variable tuition fee of Shs.
29,420/= per student per academic term. Releases of the threshold grant shall
be automatic. The variable grant
will be released after ascertaining, through a head count, the number of
students enrolled in a given school per term. 5.
Enhancing Private–Public Partnership
A Memorandum of Understanding for enhancing Public-Private Sector
Partnerships-PPPs will be signed with Private/Community schools selected from
314 Sub-Counties without Government Aided Schools to participate in USE. The selected schools have to comply with the Education
Sector’s objectives and
implementation
guidelines of the USE policy, as provided in
the
MoU and in the general law on education in the country.
6.
General Operational
Arrangements:
(a) The
recommended minimum class-size will be 60 students
per stream, i.e. a student/classroom ratio of 60:1; (b)
Discipline law and order must be ensured in the participating schools
under USE. Parents and Guardians
will be involved in enforcing it, and administering sanctions where need
arises; (c)
Government will review the curricula for secondary education under USE.
However, in the interim period and in order to ensure efficiency no
school will offer more than fourteen (14) subjects out of twenty two (22) on
the national curriculum menu. Every participating secondary school will offer ten (10) core
subjects out of which at least eight (8) will be examinable by UNEB.
This is to apply only to S1 2007, the continuing classes will follow
the set curriculum in place; (d)
The Boards of Governors will maintain their statutory obligation of
over sight, monitoring and supervision. The
PTAs will also be maintained and encouraged to continue supporting the
schools. Students will be active
participants in the USE programme both in class and outside class; (e)
Government will continue providing the necessary personnel to
Government Aided Secondary schools (Headteachers, Teachers and Core
non-teaching staff like Bursars, Nurses, etc.); (f)
Parents and Guardians shall provide lunch, uniforms, stationery and
medical care. Parents are also
encouraged to provide the core textbooks where the school has not provided
them in adequate numbers;
(g) Government
will provide basic infrastructure, instructional
materials and basic equipment to the participating
schools/institutions within the available resources;
(h)
The Ministry of Education and Sports will make direct disbursements of
recurrent budget funds (tuition fees) to the designated/special Bank Accounts
of the participating secondary schools. Releases
of the threshold grant shall be automatic.
Accountability for resources will be strictly enforced and schools must
comply; (i)
To avoid having ghost students and to ascertain enrolment (in S1), the
Ministry will undertake a headcount exercise in the participating schools a
month after commencement of the USE programme in February 2007. Thereafter, every student will be issued with a unique
identification number (i.e. Student Identification Number – STIN).
Release of the variable grant will depend on the numbers ascertained
after the headcount; (j)
Coding will be done for the Seed Schools to be initially established in
the 66 sub-Counties without any form of Secondary school. Government will provide to each of such schools at least
twelve qualified teachers, a Headteacher and Capitation Grants).
In the interim, this would enable the affected communities to
participate in the USE programme, while plans for providing permanent
classrooms are finalized. Government
will encourage participation by the local leadership when identifying
sites/facilities where the schools are to be temporarily located.
(k) The
USE policy will continue to be planned and
implemented with the active involvement of the Central Government (e.g. Ministry of Education and
Sports;
Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development; Ministry of
Public Service; Ministry of Local Government);
Members of Parliament (MPs), Development Partners,
National Curriculum Development Centre (NCDC), Uganda
National Examinations Board (UNEB), Political Leaders at all levels, Foundation
Bodies, Religious Leaders, Opinion
Leaders, Local Governments; Parents, the Communities, the teaching and
Education personnel, etc; (l)
Local Governments working with school Board of Governors (BoG) and the
Headteachers will play key oversight
roles in the management and administration of the USE
programme in their localities. 7.
Civil Works: (a)
Government will provide physical infrastructure for 75 schools in
Sub-Counties without any form of Secondary school; (b)
The tendering process to select contractors to carry out the
construction of the initial 41 Seed Schools Classrooms has been conducted at
the Centre using the low cost pre-qualified firms recommended by the
beneficiary Local Governments and construction work is in progress; (c)
Monitoring and supervision of the school construction
works in the 75 sub-Counties will be the responsibility of the Centre
in close collaboration with the beneficiary Local Governments; 8.
General Provisions: a)
The office of the Director of Education will coordinate the
implementation programme and address issues raised by both the public and the
stakeholders; b)
Monitoring, supervision and regular evaluation of the USE
implementation programme will be conducted by various stakeholders to ensure
quality and success of the programme.
c)
Provision of resources and facilities will be reviewed from time to
time as the need arises depending on the national revenue. 9.
Implementation of USE in Northern Uganda
9.1
Definition of Northern Uganda
For
the purpose of the programme, Northern region will include the districts of
Adjumani, Amolator, Amuria, Apac, Amuru, Nebbi, Yumbe, Gulu, Kitgum, Kotido,
Lira, Moyo, Moroto, Pader and Kilak. 9.2
USE Intervention i) All Government schools in
the region (day and boarding) will be eligible to participate in the programme.
ii)
Government will cover the day element of the cost i.e (Shs. 29,420 per
student and the threshold of Shs. 5m per school per term) in Government or
Government aided schools. The Threshold will be used to support
S1 students alone in the boarding schools. The total will be netted off
the fees requirements for the boarding schools and the balance will be the
amount due to the parent.. The total amount to be paid to the school of the
variable fees will be determined after the headcount. iii)
Support to students from S2 – S4 will continue under the IDP
programme until they complete S4 at the rate of Shs. 47,447 per student per
term. iv)
On the basis of the submission from the Forum for Education NGOs (FENU),
S2 – S4 students supported by NGOs will not benefit from the provision for
GoU/IDP fees. v)
Under the USE programme, Government will pay Shs. 47,000 as tuition
fees for each eligible student who will join a participating private school.
Private Schools co-operating with Government under the USE programme will not
receive the threshold (fixed grant of shs. 5,000,000 each term) and teachers. 10.
Roles and responsibilities to the various stakeholders under USE
Programme. Stake
holders involved in the implementation of this important program will, among
others, play the following roles: 10.1 Central Government (i)
Paying tuition for eligible students starting with Senior One of 2007. (ii)
Providing infrastructure for secondary schools where the program is
being implemented such as
classrooms, sanitation facilities, libraries and laboratories; (iii)
Providing the necessary personnel (headteachers, teachers and core
non-teaching staff); (iv)
Providing guidelines for utilization of the threshold fee and maximum
mark-up tuition to be charged by urban schools; (v)
Taking responsibility for quality assurance, policy guidance,
monitoring and evaluation; (vi)
Administering schools through Boards of Governors as provided for by
law. (vii)
Paying the wage bill for secondary schools. (viii)
Allocating funds for curriculum review with a view for integration and
evolving a more efficient and effective curriculum. 10.2
District Local Government In
conjunction with other local authorities District Local Government shall be
responsible for: (i)
Ensuring that all children who complete successfully Primary Leaving
Examinations enroll for Post-Primary Education if necessary, set by-laws to
ensure compliance. (ii)
Participating in ascertaining the number of beneficiaries of USE
programme. (iii)
Monitoring the implementation of the programme in the District. (iv)
Participating in identifying Institutions to implement the USE
programme. (v)
Carrying out wide publicity of the USE programme especially on its
objectives and expected outputs/outcomes. (vi)
Monitoring the implementation process in their respective districts
regarding adherence to enrolments and utilization of resources including
funds, personnel and physical infrastructure. (vii)
Carrying out regular inspection of schools under USE to ensure that
Government is getting value for money out of the exercise. (viii)
Identifying any loopholes and inform government on how they can be
closed. 10.3
Parents and Guardians
The responsibilities of parents and guardians shall include: (a)
Registering their eligible children at school. (b)
Providing for their children’s needs in terms of clothing,
feeding, medical care and transport. (c)
Participation in the provision of learning or instructional
materials, structural development and teachers’ welfare, where necessary; (d)
Participating in the promotion of discipline of their
children. (e)
Participating in community support to the school; and (f)
Participating in the development and review of the
curriculum. 10.4 Foundation Bodies/Proprietors:
Responsibilities of the Foundation Bodies shall include: (a)
Participating in ensuring proper management of schools of
their foundation. (b)
Ensuring
the promotion of religious and moral values and attitudes in schools of their
foundation. (c)
Ensuring the teaching of religious education. (d)
Participating in policy formulation. (e)
Education advocacy. (f)
Mobilization of resources for education purposes. (g)
Participating in implementation, monitoring and evaluation
of education policies and services; and (h)
Participating in the designing, development, implementation,
monitoring and reviewing of the curriculum. 10.5
Headteachers:-
Headteachers shall be responsible for: (a)
Ensuring that only the eligible candidates are enrolled in
the Institutions. (b)
Providing the school bank details to the Ministry of
Education and sports. (c)
Expending all monies received as per the approved budgets
and guidelines. (d)
Providing regular implementation reports regarding the
institutions as may be required from time to time. (e)
Accounting regularly for all the monies received. 10.6
Board of Governors:-
Responsibilities of the Boards of Governors shall include: (a)
Governing the school for which it has been constituted under
the Act, subject to any directions which may be given to it by the Minister in
writing on matters of general policy. (b)
Administering the property of the school, whether movable or
immovable. (c)
Administering any funds, chattels or things of the school
derived by way of fund-raising or auction, on behalf of the school. (d)
Providing for the welfare and discipline of students and
fixing other charges as need may dictate, with the approval of the Director of
Education. 11.0
Guidelines for utilisation of threshold fee by participating/beneficiary
schools 11.1
Introduction The capitation
grant has been disaggregated into two components: Variable and threshold. The
grant will aim at: a)
Improving equitable access to USE by removing the burden of school fees
from parents. b)
Enhancing quality of USE by providing schools/institutions with
resources necessary to run and support teachers and learning in
institutions/schools in question. USE capitation
will be channeled directly to school accounts and will be utilized strictly
within the provided guidelines. 11.2
Eligible expenditures for the capitation grant. 11.2.1Variable Grant (i.e Shs. 29,420/= each student each
term) School
expenditures that are eligible for the secondary school capitation under the
USE programme) include: (a)
Instructional/scholastic materials (teachers lesson plans books,
teachers preparation books, examination/duplicating and ruled papers, chalk,
manila paper, science chemicals and reagents. (b)
Co-curricula activity: (e.g games, sports, MDD, clubs and societies,
science and art exhibitions.) (c)
Other expenses i.e students’ certificates, record sheets, career
guidance, health and sanitation and utilities. Note:
These expenditures support directly the
teaching and learning of the students and the amount received will be based on
verified enrollment numbers. (d)
The total variable grant per student should be shs. 29,420/- for
Secondary The detailed eligible expenditures for are listed below:
11.2.2
Threshold Grant (i.e Shs. 5,000,000/= each term for each USE
participating Government aided The
threshold cost, takes cognisance of the fact that irrespective of size of the
schools/or institution, requires minimum funds to be able to operate. The
expenditures that are eligible for include: (a)
Administration costs i.e. (basic office equipment and stationery,
facilitation of Board of Governors meeting, professional fees, security,
statutory fees, news papers and transport expenses). These costs are important
to facilitate teaching and learning in schools and institutions.
Expenditure by cost centre (a)
Threshold for Secondary school
per academic term (Mgt. cost not dependent on enrolment) will be 5 million
shillings. The
Board of Governors shall have the discretion on how much to spend within the
eligible spending areas stipulated below depending on the school needs. Any
changes in the eligible spending areas e.g. development costs shall be
approved by Ministry of Education and Sports.
12
Basic requirements for USE Grants. 12.2
Prerequisites for accessing the grant; (a)
Release of USE grant to schools/institutions is conditional on the
submission of: i)
Annual workplan/budgets; ii)
Timely progress report and workplan for the next term; and iii)
Accountability for the previous term. b)
The workplan/budgets must be prepared and submitted by the
schools/institutions to MoES for approval 15 days before commencement of the
new term. c)
School/Institution budgets must be formulated by the finance committee
working jointly with the Headteacher and approved by B.o.G. d)
Authenticated minutes of B.o.G must be submitted together with the
budget/annual plan. 13
Reporting procedure and timing (a)
Reporting on the utilization of USE grant/threshold will be as follows: (i)
Workplan: From school/institution to Secondary Education department at
MoES headquarters 15 days before the commencement of 1st term(ii)
Progress report and accountability: School/institution to department;
one week after closure of school/institution. 14
Release of funds, accounting and reporting 14.2
MoFPED to MoES holding account (a)
Permanent Secretary/Education and Sports (PS/ES) advises Finance to
release the quarterly release to MoES holding account by 5th day of
the new quarter depending on: 1) Receipt of acceptable accountability and progress reports. 2)
Release will be once per term (b)
Threshold – Automatic release to school at the beginning of the term. (c)
Variable – Depending on the enrolment number verified. 14.3
School Financial Management Responsibilities. a)
Schools are responsible for controlling the Schools USE Bank Account,
receiving the USE grant transfers from central government and making and
accounting for all USE grant payments under their jurisdiction. b)
The Headteacher is accountable for the safe keeping and proper
expenditure of all USE grants to the Schools/Institutions. 14.4
Schools/Institutions: USE Accounting and Reporting a)
The normal accounting and reporting procedures for all other
conditional grants from the central Government to schools/institutions will be
applied for the USE grant. b)
The Schools/Institutions will open a dedicated non-interest bearing USE
Bank Account into which USE conditional grant shall be credited and from which
payments to school/institutions shall be debited. c)
USE funds credits to schools/institutions will be strictly by release
and no credits will mix up two or more USE funds releases.
No balances should be retained on any USE release (to be mixed up with
the subsequent release) without the express written authority from the MoES. 14.5
Schools/Institutions: USE Accounting Procedure a)
The financial and accounting procedures for the USE comply with
regulations laid down by the relevant authorities for government financial
transactions generally (Public Finance Act 1964, Treasury Accounting
Instructions and The Schools/Institutions Financial and Accounting Regulation) b)
The Schools will operate a USE Bank Account whose books of
Account must be closed at the end of the financial year.
Any balances on this
account that remain unspent after the close of the financial year must be
remitted back to the Treasury. c)
In addition to the normal quarterly
submissions following the close of the financial year (fourth quarter progress
report and cumulative progress report), the Schools/Institutions must submit
to the MoES by the last working day December the following final progress
reports. (i)
A copy of the final USE Bank Statement. (This must be reconciled with
the cash book and must be consistent with the USE cumulative progress report) (ii)
A cheque returning any unspent balances left on account to the Treasury
addressed to the PS/ST/MoFPED. d)
The failure by the schools/institutions to comply with the above
requirements © (i)-(ii) automatically results in withholding any further USE
releases to the non-compliant schools/institutions. e)
The Schools/Institutions must ensure that the USE Bank Account in the
Schools/Institutions is reconciled every month and that monthly accountability
statements are submitted to the Schools Finance Committee and copied to MoES. 14.6
Financial Management at Schools/Institutions a)
The school USE Bank Account shall be opened and administered by the
B.o.G with (Chair person and Head teacher) as signatories. Payments received
from the Schools/Institutions shall be made through this account. b)
The essential accounting record that will be required is the USE cash
book to support transactions on the School Bank Account.
The bank account statement must be reconciled to the cashbook on a
regular basis. 15.0 MANDATORY
PUBLIC NOTICES 15.1 MoES
must publish in the public media the USE grant transferred to each
School/Institution as well as the formula applied on a quarterly basis. 15.2
Schools must publicly
display amounts received from the centre of ·
USE Capitation Grant, ·
Display the staff lists. ·
Financial summary, updated enrolment and budgetary requests i.e.
copy of reports from the Schools to MoES. This
information must be displayed on the notice board of the Schools/Institutions 15.3
Schools must also publicly
display ·
student enrolment and daily attendance by class ·
school/institution budgets and expenditures, USE
Capitation grant received against school enrolment, ·
Total teachers salaries received from the Schools/Institutions as well
as the names of teachers in the school/institution. · A copy of the school quarterly report to the DEO/MEO < |
