Food prices: Schools in Luwero struggle to feed learners

Luwero, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Schools in Luwero district are struggling to feed learners due to the skyrocketing food prices.

Some schools have resorted to adjusting menus while others intend to close before official dates.

In Luwero district, the prices of beans, maize, and rice range between 3,500-4,500 Shillings per kilogram.

David Balaba Ssenkungu, the head teacher of Luwero Secondary School says that at the beginning of term, he sourced three companies who agreed to supply maize flour at the reserve price of 2,500 shillings per kilogram.

Ssenkungu however explains that two weeks ago, the companies asked him to review the price and made supplies at 3,500 shillings per kilogram.

Ssenkungu adds that the increment of 1,000 shillings per kilogram has forced him to adjust the school menu by serving cassava and sweet potatoes rather than posho or rice to ensure that he cuts down on costs.

There are 1,600 learners at the Luwero SS feeding on 150 kilograms of maize flour and 70 kilograms of beans per day.

Robert Kulabako, the head teacher of Kasana Quality Primary School in Luwero town says that each day he spends over one million shillings to feed 700 learners for four meals.

Kulabako says that the high costs of food have forced him to acquire food on credit from the suppliers to feed the learners till the term ends.

Paul Mukungu, the Director of New Life Secondary School in Luwero town says that as a result of high food prices, they have resolved to break off a week before the official date to save costs on feeding learners.

Mukungu says that according to the Ministry of Education calendar, the schools were supposed to close on August 12 but the term will end on August 5 to enable the school cut down on the costs of feeding learners.

Mukungu adds that despite the high food prices, the school may not increase fees in consideration of poverty among the parents.

Willy Sempala, the Director of White Star Best Millers Limited explained that the skyrocketing food prices are due to high fuel prices and drought that affected farmers.

Sempala says that the prices will remain high despite school holidays unless there are reductions in fuel prices.

On Wednesday while addressing the nation, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni insisted that the government will not reduce taxes on fuel or provide subsidies for other essential commodities which are experiencing runaway price increases.

By reducing taxes Museveni said, they would be providing a wrong solution to the problem which he attributed to among others the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and to the decision by much of the Western world to start moving away from fossil fuels.

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URN