Katikkiro warns parents against financial ruin for elite schools

The Katikkiro of Buganda, Charles Peter Mayiga, has cautioned parents against sacrificing their long-term financial stability in pursuit of enrolling their children in what he described as “Ivy League” schools.

As schools across Uganda reopen for the first term, many families are feeling the pressure of back-to-school expenses, including tuition, uniforms, transport, and other scholastic requirements.

It is during this period, Mayiga noted, that parents often stretch their finances to the limit in a bid to secure places in prestigious institutions.

Mayiga urged parents to rethink what he called an unhealthy obsession with elite schools, warning that no level of academic success can compensate for financial insecurity in old age.

I don’t think parents have to take their children to the most expensive (international or local curriculum) schools, those in the ‘ivy league’ that parents fret about every admittance period, and ruin their financial prospects in the process.

He emphasised the importance of balancing quality education with prudent financial planning, arguing that parents should avoid making decisions that leave them vulnerable later in life.

According to him, responsible parenting goes beyond paying high tuition fees and should also include securing one’s own future.

His remarks come at a time when the cost of education continues to rise, placing significant strain on household budgets. Many parents are reportedly taking loans or exhausting their savings to afford high-end schools, believing that such institutions guarantee better opportunities for their children.