S6 candidate drops out of school after failing to raise 250K UNEB fees

Derrick Mujuni, a Senior Six candidate at Kigumba High Secondary School in Kiryandongo District, has dropped out of school after failing to register for UNEB exams for lack of Shs250,000

NATIONAL | Derrick Mujuni's dream of becoming an architect is slowly slipping away from him. He used to wake early to run to school, now he does so to go tilll the earth.

But the earth isn't about to give him the Shs250,o00 he needed to register for the Uganda National Examinations Board.

But that is where fate has dragged Mujuni - into the absurdity of life where his fellow A-Level candidates are preparing for the national examins when he is busy tilling the farmland.

Mujuni, a Senior Six candidate at Kigumba High Secondary School in Kiryandongo District, has dropped out of school.

In Kigumba Town Council at the home of his grandmother, Mary Nyanjura, Mujuni explains his predicament.

It was close to midday, yet he was still busy weeding the cassava plantation—a daily routine since he dropped out of school two months ago.

Mujuni, who looked visibly frustrated, shared his educational journey. He attended primary school at Masindi Public and later joined Blessed Comboni Secondary School, which had relatively affordable fees.

However, when Blessed Comboni raised their fees, Mujuni transferred to Kigumba High Secondary School, as his grandmother could no longer afford the costs through her farming income.

Despite facing financial challenges, Mujuni excelled in his Senior Four exams, securing admission to Kigumba High with a Mathematics, Art, and Geography (MAG) combination, which he chose to pursue his dream of becoming an architect.

His grandmother managed to pay his school fees for Senior Five, but their main source of income—the maize plantation—was hit by drought, leaving them unable to pay for S.6 or even the UNEB registration fees of Shs 250,000.

Having exhausted all options, Mujuni dropped out and now helps his grandmother with farming and occasionally works at a garage with his elder brother in Kiryandongo.

Asked why he opted for a private school instead of a public school, Mujuni explained: “Government schools here charge fees—Shs200,000 and above—but they don’t teach. Teachers are never at school, which exposes students to failure.

"So, my grandmother and I agreed on Kigumba High, where day fees are Shs 400,000 but you are assured of education. Unfortunately, the drought left us with no way out, and I had to drop out."

The Kiryandongo Assistant Resident District Commissioner, Justus Mbabazi, confirmed Mujuni’s claims.

“It is true that government schools here charge money, but we are going to take action because the President directed government schools not to ask for fees. This has left many unable to attain education.”

Mujuni remains hopeful, appealing to well-wishers, NGOs, and individuals for help to continue his education.

“I dropped out of school not because I wanted to, but because the situation pushed me out of it," he said.

"The school wanted the money, then UNEB fees came up. I’m so interested in studying, and I’m appealing to good Samaritans to come to my aid. Even if it means repeating Senior Six next year, it’s fine.

|All I want is to be able to support my family, change our living conditions, and help my younger siblings once I get a job."

Mbabazi expressed his dismay at the situation, vowing to investigate how a student could be denied the chance to register for UNEB over fees.

“This is extremely touching—that a student ready to sit for senior six is denied registration over just Shs250,000," he said.

"This is merciless on the part of the school. We will investigate and find out exactly what happened because many students don’t want to go to school. When we have people like Mujuni willing to study, we need to support them."

Victor Mawa, the administrator general at Kigumba High Secondary School, confirmed they were aware of Mujuni’s plight but explained that the UNEB registration fees go directly to UNEB, and payments are processed electronically.

“He hadn’t paid first-term fees or second-term fees, but we were okay with it because he’s a good boy," Mr Mawa said.

"However, UNEB is an independent body, so our hands were tied. We asked him to pay at least Shs 200,000, but he couldn’t raise that either. If anyone can support him, Mujuni is very welcome because we had high hopes for him."

Senior Six registration ended on May 31, with a 30-day allowance for late registration attracting a 50% surcharge, which later ended on July 31 with a 100% surcharge.

The UNEB registration portal is now closed, according to the Kigumba Secondary School administration, limiting Mujuni’s chances of registering this year.

However, Mujuni remains optimistic, stating he is willing to return to Senior Six next year if he receives support with fees and registration to achieve his dream of becoming an architect.