Dean appeals to government to ease costs of student project materials

20 February 2026, 2:35 pm

By Ronald Ssemagonja

The Government of Uganda has been urged to remove taxes on materials used for school project work. The request was made by the Dean of Students at Bishop’s Senior School in Mukono District, Mike Mawanda, who noted that the materials are very expensive, yet students are required to complete project work under the new curriculum.

He added that the school’s strong performance in the recently released Senior Four results for 2025 was due to the combined efforts of students and the commitment of both teaching and non-teaching staff.

“We thank God that all our candidates passed in Division One, meaning they all qualify for Advanced Level. We presented 538 candidates and ranked sixth among schools in the country. This success was made possible because the school leadership provides teachers with the resources they need,” Mawanda said.

He acknowledged the high costs associated with the new curriculum and thanked parents for supporting the school. He urged the government to assist schools wherever possible and reminded parents to entrust their children to the school, adding that there are still vacancies in Senior One.

Additionally, the Minister of State for Education and Sports recently concluded the two-day placement exercise for Senior Five learners following the release of their results. The exercise, held at UMA in Kampala, was attended by heads of schools nationwide. The Minister emphasised the need for private schools to participate in such exercises and urged all school heads to adhere to the new curriculum.

During the release of the results, the Minister of Education and Sports, Hon. Janet Museveni, encouraged students who did not pass to continue their studies rather than drop out. Term One for Senior Five is scheduled to begin on 5 March 2026.