In Uganda, the issue of unpaid school fees has become a distressing annual ritual involving long queues at bursars’ offices and children being sent home from school due to partial payments. The author emphasizes that education, a crucial avenue for alleviating poverty, often transforms into a liquidity crisis for many families. The dissonance between parents' incomes and the school payment schedule exacerbates this problem, resulting in difficult negotiations and increased stress for both parents and schools.

The article points out that the financial pressures faced by parents are often linked to seasonal income fluctuations, salary delays, and unexpected emergencies that can derail their ability to meet payment deadlines. Schools, on the other hand, are caught in a difficult position as they need to pay teachers, manage operational costs, and fulfill loan obligations regardless of the inconsistency in fee collections. This creates a conflicting situation where the financial stability of educational institutions relies on the timely payment of fees by parents, which does not always align with their financial capabilities.

Additionally, the significant role of private and faith-based institutions in Uganda’s education sector complicates the issue. With these entities accounting for a considerable portion of student enrollment and capital investments, variations in school fee payments have broader macroeconomic implications. The author argues that rather than viewing school fees as merely an individual concern, there needs to be a recognition of the systemic financial issues impacting the education sector in Uganda, which requires collaborative solutions from all stakeholders involved.