The Ministry of Education has warned public schools against imposing fees that have not been approved, urging parents to report institutions that demand additional payments outside the established regulations.
The warning comes after parents raised concerns about schools introducing extra charges as the new school year approaches, amid confusion over recently announced changes to school contributions.
One such case was reported in Rwamagana District, where a school reportedly asked parents to contribute Rwf2,000 for each primary school pupil and Rwf5,000 for each secondary school student to support the construction of a school fence.
Some parents questioned the basis for the charges and how the amounts had been determined, while others said additional school needs should be discussed through parents’ meetings before any contributions are requested.
Education Minister Joseph Nsengimana said schools cannot independently decide to impose additional fees on parents.
He said that when a school requires an additional contribution, it must go through the established approval process involving parents, the district and the Ministry of Education.
MINEDUC regulations allow parents to contribute towards certain school needs, but such contributions must be approved by the General Assembly of Parents and comply with the applicable limits.
The ministry has consequently called on parents and members of the public to report schools that violate the regulations so that the cases can be investigated.
The warning follows MINEDUC’s announcement of changes to school contributions, including an increase in parents’ contributions to school feeding programmes.
The ministry attributed the adjustment to rising prices, saying the existing contributions were no longer sufficient to meet the cost of providing meals to pupils and students.
The new contribution rates are scheduled to take effect in January 2027, beginning in the second term.
For nursery and primary school pupils, the contribution will rise from Rwf975 to Rwf2,000.
For secondary school students who do not board, it will increase from Rwf19,500 to Rwf24,000, while parents of boarding students will contribute Rwf110,000, up from Rwf85,000.
MINEDUC’s latest warning is aimed at preventing schools from using the announced increases as a basis for introducing separate charges without following the required approval procedures.
The ministry’s position means that any additional contribution requested by a school must have a clear purpose, be approved through the appropriate process and comply with existing regulations.
Parents have therefore been encouraged to seek clarification when asked to make payments outside the officially communicated contributions and to report suspected violations to the relevant authorities.
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